 Seat back failure most commonly occurs during rear-end collisions. In a rear-end collision, the car is propelled forward, but the occupants are propelled backward. This applies abrupt pressure to the seat back, which commonly results in failure and severe injury, even in low-speed accidents.
Why seat back failure occurs Seat backs are commonly designed by manufacturers to keep an occupant from propelling forward during a front-end collision. The overall purpose is to keep the occupant from being ejected or striking the vehicle interior. This safety design is not commonly applied to rear-end collisions, when the occupant is propelled backward.
Seat back failure occurs when seat backs, seat tracks and recliner mechanisms fail, causing the collapse of the seat. This is often attributed, to poor design and flimsy construction.
What injuries result from seat back failure and collapse?
Seat back failure results in serious and often fatal injuries. This often occurs when the occupant is ejected from the seat at the moment of collapse. During seat back failure, the occupant can easily slide out from under safety belts, rendering them useless.
The failure of a seat back results in serious spinal injuries and possible paraplegia and quadriplegia. This is due to the lack of spinal and neck support at the time of impact.
The collapse of the seat back also results in serious injury of the rear seat passengers. When the seat back and occupant collapses onto the rear seat passengers, serious crush injuries result. They often become trapped and are unable to escape the vehicle, causing potential fatalities in the event of fire.
Results of seat back failure Seat back failure results in:
- Loss of control of the vehicle
- Reduction in seat belt and restraint system effectiveness
- Occupant ejection
- Serious injury to or death of the front and rear seat passengers
- Reduction of occupants ability to escape the vehicle
Speaking to a lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered serious or fatal injuries due to poor design and/or construction of seats, resulting in seat back failure and collapse, contact our experienced crashworthiness lawyers for a free consultation.
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