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Did Your Vehicle Have a Faulty LATCH System at the Time of an Automobile Collision?

Child seats are critical to keep our smaller children safe in the event of a car accident. Adult restraints may also fail during a collision. When a seat belt and/or a child seal fails this can cause serious or tragic injury in an automobile collision. 

For many years, the installation of child seats relied on the safety belts already present in cars. However, there were many incompatibilities between different safety belts and different models of car seats, which made it all too easy for installation mistakes to occur. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, federal laws were passed that required vehicles and car seats to have Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) systems. LATCH systems involve top and lower tether anchors to be included with cars and light trucks, as well as top and lower tether straps to be included on all child seats. 

Some Downfalls of LATCH Systems 

While LATCH systems can result in a much tighter fit and greater security than using safety belts to install car seats, there are still some possible downfalls. For example, it can be difficult to reach and access LATCH components in your car, which means the installation process is not that much easier than using safety belts. In addition, LATCH systems are only safe for children up to 40-48 pounds, depending on the weight of your child seat. Parents should take care to install seats properly and stop using LATCH systems when their child outgrows them. 

PLEASE NOTE: You must keep possession of the vehicle which has had a latch failure - If you get rid of the vehicle you will be unable to prove a defect in the seat belt or latch failure system. 

We have an inspection facility outside of Dallas, Texas with the experience and expertise to examine your vehicle for a seat belt failure. 

LATCH System Defects

While LATCH systems can make car seats safer in many situations, they can put a child at risk if the system is defective. Like any other type of manufacturer, auto companies can make mistakes when designing, assembling, or installing LATCH systems into vehicles. In addition, manufacturers might fail to provide the right instructions and warnings to parents to keep children safe. For instance, if a car company fails to give proper weight limits, a parent might continue using a LATCH system far longer than they should, which can lead to serious or tragic injuries to a child in a crash, or in the event a seat belt fails to and comes unhitched from the seat belt lock during a collision. 

If a LATCH system failed in your car and the child seat where your child was failed resulting in a serious or tragic injury call the David C. Chavez Law Firm now at 505-865-9696

  • Whether your child’s injuries resulted from a LATCH system defect
  • Whether the LATCH system on the car or the car seat was defective
  • Which parties should be liable for your child’s losses
  • Which insurance claims need to be filed
  • Whether you need assistance from engineering experts to prove your claim

If your vehicle had a faulty LATCH system and it caused injuries to your child, you want The David C. Chavez Law Firm, on your side as soon as possible. Call 505-865-9696 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. 

Contact Now David C. Chavez Law Firm a New Mexico Super Lawyer Firm also recognized as a Top 10 Top 100 Personal Injury Law Firm in the United States Call now 505-865-9696 for your free consultation.

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