Settlement in seatback and head restraint failure case.

Jaime Jackson Law and Katherman, Briggs and Greenberg successfully teamed up in an auto products liability case. The case involved a seatback and head restraint in a 2018 Hyundai Tucson which failed to support and protect the driver in a rear impact.

Our client, who was driving the Hyundai Tucson, suffered paralysis of her legs, a dislocated knee, and an abrasion to her head. She was stopped in traffic and struck behind by another vehicle which failed to stop in time for the line of traffic ahead.

Physics of the crash

As our client was struck from behind, the driver’s seat deflected rearward. The physics of the rear impact and seat deflection meant that our client’s shoulders and torso ramped up the seatback. Then, her shoulders and torso interacted with the head restraint, dislodging it from the seatback. As a result, our client’s torso was unsupported and hyperextended over the top of the seatback. In turn, this caused a severe thoracic spinal cord injury.

The force of the rear impact propelled our client’s vehicle forward into the vehicle stopped in front. Then, our client suffered further orthopedic injuries because she was already unsupported by her seatback and the head restraint coming out of the seatback.

Experts involved

To support our client’s case, Jaime Jackson Law and KBG Injury worked with a team of experts that included: a crash reconstructionist, seatback design and testing expert, biomechanist, and medical experts.

Our client continues to recover from her injuries and rebuild her life with her active young family.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a motor vehicle crash, contact Jaime Jackson Law on 717-519-7254 or through our website.

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