Can You Still Use A Car Seat After A Crash?
The aftermath of a car accident can be very expensive. If you’ve recently suffered the trauma of a car wreck, you understand this reality all too well. Depending on the circumstances of your crash, you may be dealing with property damage, medical bills, lost wages incurred because you had to take time off of work to recover, and on and on and on. If you had a car seat located anywhere in your car at the time of your crash, you may also be compelled to deal with its replacement cost.
The issue of whether you can still use a car seat after an auto accident is not terribly straightforward. There are governmental regulations and manufacturer recommendations to consider. Additionally, the issue of whether you must pay for a replacement – in the event that the car seat in question can no longer be used safely – largely depends upon whether an insurance settlement will cover the cost of the replacement.
How Bad Was Your Crash?
As an experienced Vero Beach, FL car accident lawyer – including those who practice at Tuttle Law, P.A. – can confirm, there are different ways that auto accidents are classified. For the purposes of car seat replacement questions, there are minor, moderate, and serious accidents. Generally speaking, minor accidents are crashes that don’t result in any injuries, don’t cause visible damage to the car seat in possible need of replacement, don’t result in the deployment of an air bag, and don’t cause more than $500 to $1,000 in property damage.
In the event of a minor accident, government guidance doesn’t insist upon the replacement of any car seats that were in an affected vehicle at the time of impact. Instead, the government refers accident victims to the manufacturer of the car seat in question. Some manufacturers recommend replacing a car seat after a minor accident and some don’t.
The government and car seat manufacturers agree that car seats should be replaced in the event of a moderate or severe accident, though. If your crash caused injuries or a lot of property damage, you or your insurance will likely need to pay for the cost of a car seat replacement.
Seeking Guidance
You may be feeling overwhelmed about this issue and that’s completely understandable. On the one hand, it’s an inanimate object that isn’t horrifically expensive to replace. On the other hand, it’s just one more consequential thing that you have to research and deal with when you’re already probably feeling anxious and frustrated due to the trauma of your accident. Understand that it’s not only okay to ask for help, doing so is probably a good idea.
Consider speaking with an attorney about your car seat concerns, insurance settlement matters, and the possibility of filing a lawsuit. Most personal injury attorneys who handle car accident cases offer free consultations. When speaking with a lawyer, you may learn that you’re in a strong position to be awarded compensation as a result of the harm you’ve suffered.