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While seatbelts are universally recognized as one of the most effective safety features in vehicles, not everyone is aware of the specific injuries they can cause during high-impact collisions. The purpose of a seatbelt is to prevent passengers from being ejected or hitting interior parts of the car, yet the force involved in serious accidents can lead to unique types of injuries. If you were recently involved in an accident where your seatbelt injured you, contact a New Haven car accident lawyer from Weber & Rubano today for a free consultation.
Seatbelts unquestionably save lives in car accidents. A 2017 study showed 14,955 people saved by seatbelts and an additional 2,549 car accident victims who would have survived had they been wearing seatbelts during their crash. Despite their life-saving properties, seatbelts also cause specific injuries to motorists during collisions. Doctors sometimes refer to a collection of seatbelt injuries on an individual as “Seatbelt Syndrome.”
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In a collision, a motorist’s body continues moving forward at the speed the vehicle was traveling until the seat belt suddenly halts the body’s forward momentum and snaps it back against the seat cushion. Crash force calculations show that a 135-pound motorist becomes a 7,425-force in an accident, showing how a powerful collision can cause the following five seatbelt injuries even when a seatbelt functions appropriately.
The cross-body seatbelt strap locks into place during a collision, saving the car occupant from expulsion from the vehicle or direct contact with the dash or windshield. However, during a forceful collision, this seatbelt strap also commonly causes injury to the upper body. Broken clavicle (collarbone) injuries and soft-tissue injuries to the shoulder are common, including serious contusions.
The force of a seatbelt snapping the motorist back against the seat may be strong enough to fracture ribs. Rib fractures, cracked ribs, and bruised ribs are common seatbelt injuries found in car accident survivors.
The lap belt portion of a seatbelt helps secure the motorist’s lower body to the seat during a collision; however, the crash force of an accident may cause significant trauma, including hip and pelvic fractures. Fractures in this area may occur to elderly individuals even in low-speed crashes, but motorists of all ages may experience hip and pelvic fractures in a serious car accident due to the force of the crash against the lap belt.
Car accidents can cause seatbelt injuries to the chest and upper body, including injuries to the lungs, diaphragm, and heart. Contusions, abrasions, and lung punctures from the ends of broken ribs are car accident injuries noted in victims of serious collisions.
When a lap belt is placed appropriately across the lower hips, it helps to avoid serious injuries to the abdomen; however, poorly designed seatbelts, or those that slip out of proper alignment may cause serious injuries to the abdomen, including damage to the intestines, internal bleeding, and contusions.
The most common result of seatbelt injuries in car accidents is bruising. Often, a car accident victim will have seatbelt-shaped bruises across their body from the pressure against the straps. These minor injuries may cause tenderness, pain, and stiffness but typically involve no lasting damage.
Some seatbelt injuries such as punctured lungs and internal injuries are life-threatening emergencies. It’s essential for a car accident victim to seek a full medical examination directly from the accident scene and to call a personal injury lawyer in New Haven to get deserved compensation.
No one should have to take on a complex car accident claim while still recovering from their injuries—particularly if a poorly designed or defective seatbelt caused a worsened medical condition after an accident, requiring a defective product claim. Contact the experienced lawyers at Weber & Rubano today so we can quickly take action in your Connecticut car accident claim for compensation.