Seat Back Defects

Our firm has successfully handled multiple seat back defect cases against several automobile manufacturers. In fact, our firm has the largest verdict against any automobile manufacturer in any state for a seat back defect.

In the case of Flax v. DaimlerChrysler, we obtained a $105 million verdict for the wrongful death of an 8-month-old child, Joshua Flax. Joshua was killed when the front passengers seat in his grandparent's 1998 Dodge Caravan collapsed backward, causing his fatal head injuries.

In a seat back defect case, the seats in a vehicle collapse rearward when the vehicle is involved in a rear impact. These collapsing seats can cause injuries to both the occupants of the collapsing seats and children seated behind these seats.

Injuries to occupants of collapsing seats often include fatal or catastrophic head and spinal cord injuries. These injuries occur when the occupant's seat collapses and allows the occupant to strike the rear seat or the b-pillar in the back seat. Other injuries may occur if the collapsing seat causes the driver to lose control of the vehicle resulting in a secondary wreck.

Injuries to children seated behind collapsing seats often occur when the occupant of the collapsing seat strikes the child seated directly behind the collapsing front seat. This head-to-head contact often results in fatal or catastrophic head or chest injuries to these properly restrained children.

After the wreck, the seat is observed to be in a reclined position and is often difficult to return to its original position. The actual seat collapse that occurs during the wreck is often greater than the position of the seat seen after the wreck.

Numerous documents uncovered during our work in prior cases have revealed that the automakers are aware that these collapsing seats are injuring and killing hundreds of adults and children. Furthermore, multiple stronger seat designs exist and are equipped in many other vehicles. These stronger seats would protect adults and children from serious injury from collapsing seats in rear impacts.

If you or family members have suffered injuries as the result of a seat back collapse, you need an experienced automobile defect lawyer to maximize your recovery. Contact us today.