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Seat Belt injuries may be unexpected, but they are not uncommon in serious collisions. Even when they do their job, seat belts can leave behind painful bruises, broken bones, or internal injuries that are easy to overlook at first.
Your car accident attorney with DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo can help you understand how these injuries happen, what they mean for your health, and when they might be the basis for a personal injury claim.
Seat belts are one of the most important safety tools we have, but that does not mean they are perfect. In some crashes, the very thing meant to protect you can also cause serious injury. Let’s take a closer look at how and why that happens.
During a high-speed collision or sudden stop, the seat belt tightens instantly to hold your body in place. That quick restraint can create concentrated force across the chest, shoulder, and abdomen, leading to bruising, internal injuries, or fractures.
These types of injuries are often included in claims handled by your personal injury lawyer, especially when there is evidence that the belt was mispositioned or caused additional harm.
Seat belts do not always function the way they are supposed to. If the retractor sticks, the shoulder strap detaches, or the belt digs into your skin instead of spreading out impact, the injuries can be serious. In some cases, victims experience deep abrasions or even burn injuries when the material rubs against the skin during the crash.
When a defect or poor design is to blame, Cal. Civ. Code § 1714.45 allows injured people to pursue a claim against the manufacturer. These cases take a careful review of the belt’s function, the crash report, and the vehicle’s repair history.
Some injuries from a seat belt do not show up right away. They can develop slowly, with symptoms that do not always seem urgent at first. When those injuries go untreated, they can become serious and even life-threatening. Here are a few seat belt-related injuries that are often missed:
We have seen clients with broken bones, nerve damage, and even amputations because of how the seat belt hit them during a crash. Traumatic brain injuries and other catastrophic injuries may not be obvious right away, but they can impact every part of your life.
Under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.8 and Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1, the clock to file a claim starts when the injury is discovered, not necessarily when the crash happened. That is why getting both medical and legal insight early on can make such a difference.
Seat belts save lives, but when they malfunction or cause unexpected harm, things can get complicated fast. You might be dealing with pain, confusion, or questions about whether the restraint worked the way it should have. That is exactly where we come in:
Even if the crash did not seem severe, seat belt injuries can lead to serious medical complications and unexpected costs. It may not be obvious at first, but legal support could be key in helping you recover damages tied to your injury.
To find out what steps make the most sense, contact us to speak with your car accident attorney with DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo.