Writing a personal injury blog, we tend to see a lot of injuries caused from car accidents which could have been avoided had the passengers just buckled up their seatbelts.  But who is responsible if a motorist is wearing a seatbelt, gets hit on the road, and the seatbelt doesn’t work?

A couple had that happen to them and they believe their car maker is at fault.  The couple have filed a lawsuit against Isuzu, claiming the auto giant as responsible for the man’s paralysis when his 1999 Rodeo rolled over in an accident two years ago, according an article in The West Virginia Record.  The suite states that not only did the Rodeo’s roof collapse, but that his seat belt came undone.

The paralysis attorneys at our San Diego law firm always recommend that you wear a safety belt while driving, so it is alarming to hear that something which is supposed to avoid causing a spinal cord injury is now forcing a man to live with paralysis, perhaps for the the rest of his life.

The man became quadriplegic from an accident that caused more damage than it should have.  In January, 2008, he was driving along a West Virginia road when he spun out of control when trying to stop quickly, causing his Isuzu to rollover and the roof to cave in.  That’s when his seatbelt released.

According to the lawsuit, he has accrued more than $500,000 in medical bills for his paralysis treatments to repair the damage done to his spinal cord, especially the C5-C6 fracture that caused him to lose sensation and function below the neck.

Takata Corporation, a subsidiary of Isuzu, is the company who manufactures Isuzu’s seat belts.  The man’s paralysis lawsuit claims customers have complained about the unwanted and unexplained seatbelt releasing to both Takata and Isuzu.  Neither company, according to the suit, investigated into the reasons why this was happening or how it could be stopped.

Our spinal cord injury attorneys do not want to discourage you and your family from using a seatbelt while driving on the road — we want to prevent paralysis before it happens.  That being said, always make sure that your seatbelts are working properly and not putting your family at risk for spinal cord injuries.

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident and suffered a spinal cord injury or paralysis we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible following the accident at 1-858-551-2090 or please click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced paralysis attorney in San Diego.  We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing until we recover money on your behalf.

YOUR TAKE

Accidents are going to keep happening no matter what we do, so it is our job to be prepared for when one does occur.  But how can you say that you are ready for an emergency when your main line of safety is flawed?