Common Seat Belt Injuries
It is no secret that seat belts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts prevented an estimated 14,955 deaths in 2017 alone. In some car accidents, however, seat belts cause or contribute to victims’ serious injuries – especially when a child is involved. Seat belt injuries can be severe or even catastrophic. Learn more about seat belt injuries to find out if you may be eligible for compensation after a car accident in Massachusetts.
Common Types of Seat Belt Injuries
Buckling up can keep you safe during an automobile accident. It is one of the most important vehicle safety features for saving lives in collisions. This does not mean, however, that you will not suffer any injuries. Even with a seat belt, a car accident can cause catastrophic injuries – including injuries caused by the restraint system itself. In fact, injuries from seat belts are so common that medical researchers call injury patterns from seat belts, “seat belt syndrome.â€
Seat belt syndrome refers to a variety of external and internal injuries that are commonly caused by restraint systems in auto accidents, including:
- Bruised and fractured ribs
- Dislocated ribs
- Punctured lungs
- Lung contusions and lacerations
- Chest and sternum injuries
- Heart injuries – especially ruptures
- Shoulder injuries (soft-tissue injuries)
- Severed spine and other back injuries
- Organ damage or internal bleeding
- Skin abrasions and lacerations
While it is true that a car accident victim might have suffered more severe injuries or died had he or she not been wearing a seat belt, this does not negate the fact that the seat belt itself is often behind many serious physical injuries. This is especially common in high-velocity car accidents and accidents involving small children, who are more susceptible to serious bone fractures and internal damage from the pressure of a seat belt than adults.
Who Is Liable for a Seat Belt Injury?
If you or a loved one suffered a serious seat belt injury in a car accident in Massachusetts, the party that you can hold financially accountable, or liable, for your injuries and medical expenses will depend on the circumstances of your case. Massachusetts is a no-fault insurance state, meaning that, for the most part, your initial source of recovery is your own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, regardless of fault for the crash.
If, however, your injuries meet Massachusetts’ serious injury threshold, you can file a third-party lawsuit outside of the no-fault system against the other driver. The serious injury threshold is an injury that causes more than $2,000 in necessary medical expenses, broken bones, severe and permanent disfigurement, or loss of hearing or vision. If your injuries from a car accident meet this threshold (including seat belt injuries), you can hold the at-fault driver liable.
Bringing a claim against the other driver’s insurance company can result in payment for your medical costs, surgeries, medications, lost wages and other losses connected to your seat belt injuries. The value of your injury claim will depend on the severity and extent of your injuries, as well as the insurance coverage available and other factors. In general, more severe injuries will lead to higher payouts. Fractured ribs from a seat belt, for example, are typically worth more than bruised ribs.
How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help You?
If you were recently involved in a car accident in Massachusetts that caused you or a loved one seat belt injuries, consult with an attorney from Merrimack Valley Injury Lawyers about your legal rights. You may have grounds to file a first-party or third-party insurance claim in pursuit of financial compensation for your losses.
Our attorneys have years of experience handling many different types of car accident lawsuits, including cases involving serious seat belt injuries. We know how these claims work and how to optimize our clients’ results. Our car accident lawyers can help you defend your rights and fight for fair financial compensation. Contact us today for more information about your case.