After engaging in a car accident with your children, you probably have many questions and concerns that are in need of being answered and addressed. One common question many parents often have is whether they need to replace their child’s car seat after a collision or if it is safe to continue using it. In this article, we are going to discuss when it is recommended to replace your child’s car seat based on information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which may be able to help you make an informed decision as to whether you should replace yours or not.
Before going out and purchasing a new child safety seat, there are a few factors the NHTSA suggests you taken into account. For starters, the NHTSA recommends that you use their criteria to assess the severity of the crash as well as take the time to review the car seat manufacturer’s manual. Now, the NHTSA doesn’t recommend that you automatically go out and replace your child’s car seat after engaging in a minor crash, unless of course, you feel it is best to do so. In order to determine if your crash would be classified as a minor one, the NHTSA has five criteria, all of which must be met. These include:
- You were able to drive your vehicle away from the crash scene.
- The car door located closest to the car seat was not damaged.
- No occupants inside the vehicle suffered any injuries.
- The airbags did not deploy.
- There is no visible damage to the safety seat.
The NHTSA does, however, recommend that the safety seat or booster seat be replaced following a moderate or severe collision as a precaution. In the event you aren’t sure whether your wreck would be considered a minor, moderate, or severe one, then you can always contact the car seat manufacturer and describe to them the incident and they can help you determine if your child’s seat should, in fact, be replaced. And after contacting the manufacturing company you find that you are still feeling a bit unsure about continuing to use it, you might consider replacing your child’s car seat with a new one so that you know they are riding in one that is safe and defect free.
Another common question many car wreck victims have aside from whether they should replace their child’s car seat is whether they need to hire an attorney. Now, there are many reasons why you should consider retaining a Jackson, MS car accident lawyer following a collision some of which we will highlight below for you:
- An attorney can help you file a claim with your insurer and handle any disputes that might arise.
- A lawyer can serve as your liaison between the insurer and the other parties involved. In most cases, victims are often looking to put their attention on getting through the recovery process, not having to go back and forth with insurance companies or anyone else for that matter. And with a dedicated attorney such as William E. Ballard working on your side, you are able to accomplish this.
- An attorney can help determine what the true value of your damage is and devise a course of action on how to recover this amount.
The reality is, car accidents tend to leave victims suffering both physically and financially and rather than having to take on the burden of dealing with both circumstances alone, why not entrust a legal expert who can assist you as you work through this difficult time. At Ballard Law, PLLC, we are familiar with the devastating effects a car collision can have on an individual and/or their family and we want you to know that we are here to help you. If you’d like to schedule an initial consultation to learn more about how much your case is worth along with the steps attorney William E. Ballard will take to help you recover this amount, contact us today at 769-572-5111.
You can reach Ballard Law, PLLC. at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
Website: www.ballardlaw.ms
