A 16-year-old boy leaning over the third-row seat of his 2004 van recently lost his life after the seat flipped over and pinned him, compressing his chest and leading to his death by asphyxiation. Although it has not been determined whether the boy’s death was directly associated with a defect in the Honda Odyssey’s third-row seating, there has been a history of recalls in Honda’s Odyssey models throughout the years. Many of the recalls have included the popular van’s back seats.
If you or a member of your family suffered injuries as a result of defective seating in your Honda Odyssey or any other vehicle, you might have grounds to file a lawsuit against the car manufacturer. All car manufacturers have the duty to produce vehicles that are up to the highest safety standards; if they release a vehicle that is substandard, innocent consumers and their families could suffer severe injuries.
If you or a member of your family was harmed by defective seating rows in your van, you must contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm dedicated to helping those affected by defective products. You might have the right to file a product liability lawsuit against the car manufacturer. For more information about how you could sue Honda after suffering injuries caused by defective seating, you must contact our law firm as soon as possible.
Seat Recalls and Their Dangers
Honda Odyssey vans from 2011 to 2017 were part of a mass recall that affected more than 800,000 vehicles. The Odyssey vans were recalled because of defects associated with the van’s second-row seating. According to the recall issued by Honda, seating rows that are not latched properly could tip over during braking. The recall issued by Honda does not include the model involved in the unfortunate accident mentioned above; however, the possibility has not been dismissed. In the recall issued by Honda, the hazard is alleged to only be present during braking. However, if the seat row is not latched properly, the seating could tip over if any weight is leaned onto the unlatched seating.
As described above, the defective seats to do not latch properly and create a tip hazard when braking. In instances of car accidents, the sudden braking or the force of impact could tip the seats forward or backward, resulting in severe injuries. However, the unlatched seats could be dangerous even while the van is stationary. Young children, for example, often climb over seats while entering or exiting stopped vehicles. In the unfortunate accident previously mentioned, the 16-year-old boy leaned over the seating row into the cargo area to grab his sports equipment. The boy’s weight tipped the seating row over and caused his death. In the case of injury or death, a defective seating row that was unable to latch properly could lead to a lawsuit against the car manufacturer.
Filing a Claim
If you or a member of your family were affected by defective seats in a vehicle, you could file a claim to be eligible to receive compensation. You might have grounds to file a claim if the vehicle’s defective manufacturing or design directly caused your injuries. What if a recall does not exist? You might be worried about your right to sue if there is no preexisting recall; however, just because the recall does not exist does not mean that the defect does not exist. So, what should you do if you are interested in filing a claim?
There are many things that you should do to ensure that you preserve your right to sue. However, your health is of utmost importance, so the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. The victims directly affected by the defecting seats should be evaluated by medical professionals—even in injuries are not clear immediately after the incident. A medical evaluation could identify injuries that are not obvious. You must also photograph your visible injuries. You should also photograph the defect in the seats. Someone should photograph the seats, their failure to latch properly, and their propensity to tip over, for example. Many people contact the manufacturer of the vehicle to report the defect; in many cases, the manufacturer might offer to repair the defect at no cost.
Should you agree to repair your vehicle’s defective seats after someone suffered injuries? You might be tempted to agree to a free repair; however, agreeing to a free repair or attempting to repair the defect yourself could destroy evident essential to the outcome of your claim. In product liability claims, the defective product is the most important piece of evidence. Therefore, if the defect is repaired, the foundation of the claim is lost. Because of that, you must contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
When you contact a law firm with experience in vehicular product liability claims, you will get all the relevant information about your rights and the steps you should take after speaking with a knowledgeable defective product attorney. Our lawyers are here to guide you through your legal process. If you take action without consulting with an experienced attorney, you might make a mistake that could make you ineligible to receive compensation.
The Compensation Available for Recovery
If you file a claim after a defective car seating row tipped over and caused injuries or death, you might be eligible to receive compensation. The compensation that victims of defective products are eligible to receive depends on the specific detail of each claim. However, most compensation recovered falls into the categories below:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Funeral costs
- Burial costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
As you can see, there are many categories of compensation available for recovery. For specific information about the type and amount of compensation you could receive after filing a claim, you must speak with one of our attorneys. When you allow our attorneys to handle your claim, you can be certain that you will receive the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim. Our lawyers are committed to the outcome of your claim and will not stop fighting for you until you recover the compensation that you deserve.
The Statute of Limitations for Product Liability Claims
Many people unknowingly lose their right to sue when they fail to adhere to the deadlines that apply to their claims. Because of that, you must speak with an attorney about the statute of limitations that establishes the time you have to file your claim. In general, the statute of limitations for victims of defective products is two-years. However, the timeline could differ depending on where you are filing your claim. In addition to the time allowed by the statute of limitations, some details of your claim could create exceptions that toll or extend the time you have to file your claim. You must have a thorough understanding of the time you have to sue for a successful claim outcome.
Normandie Law Firm
Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm dedicated to helping all victims affected by defective products. If you were injured or a member of your family lost his or her life as a result of a defective product, such as defective car seats in a vehicle, you must contact our law firm as soon as possible. Our experienced product liability attorneys will aggressively fight for your right to compensation.
Our firm is based on the belief that all victims should have access to legal assistance. Because of that, our firm offers free consultations and free second opinions to all victims of defective products. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our experienced attorneys will answer your questions, address your concerns, and provide you with all the information you need to begin or continue your legal process. If you were left with doubts or confusion after an incompetent attorney left you misinformed, you can trust that our lawyers will do everything to help you gain a thorough understanding of your claim and get your claim back on the right track. Whether you want to start your legal process or you need to get your claim back on the path to success, you can trust that our lawyers are here to help you. Our attorneys are committed to the outcome of your claim and will not rest until you are rightfully compensated.
Our free consultations and free second opinions are available to the victims of defective products as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee. Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients never have to worry about any upfront legal fees. Since our firm is based on contingency, our clients will never have to worry about legal fees until after they win their claims. If they do not win their claims and receive compensation, they will not be required to pay. Do not hesitate—contact us today.
