The Importance of Using a Child Safety Seat

Being a parent is never easy, but it seems that as time goes by parenting has simply become more and more challenging. Demands on a mother’s and father’s time make even the simplest of tasks seem monumental. At the same time, keeping one’s children safe from harm is of paramount importance, especially in this fast-paced world. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, we at the law offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, cannot stress enough the importance of learning and practicing safe driving procedures when traveling on Maryland roadways.

Being auto accident lawyers, our legal staff has seen too many people, both young and old, who have been badly injured in a severe or life-threatening car, truck or motorcycle collision. For many, being seriously hurt in a bad automobile or commercial vehicle crash means weeks or months of recovery in a hospital bed. There are no easy fixes for a person facing multiple surgeries, months or physical rehabilitation or a lifetime of daily nursing care. In such instances a person needs an advocate to pursue recovery of medical bills arising from that devastating auto wreck.

Of course, no one in their right mind looks forward to being badly injured in a highway accident or urban traffic collision, but the streets of Gaithersburg, Rockville, Bowie and the District of Columbia have been witness to some of the worst injury-related roadway crashes. While nobody can say with any certainty that they will be able to avoid being involved in a car, truck or motorcycle accident in the future, one can plan ahead and perhaps lessen the effects of such an event if and when it does occur.

As most any parent or grandparent knows, young children and infants are required to be secured in an approved child safety seat whenever they are riding in a passenger car, minivan or SUV. We’ll go even further to say that even when creeping through a busy parking lot, the value of a well-made child safety seat is worth almost any cost. According to Maryland law, children under eight years of age are required to ride in an approved safety seat (unless the youth is taller than 4 foot, 9 inches, or weighs more than 65 pounds). Quite often though, new parents are sometimes surprised that the hospital where their baby was born will insist on having a professional check the family’s vehicle to be certain that it has a properly installed safety seat for the newborn.

The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen understand full well that child safety seats are not just a good idea, they are the law. Being certain that the seat you purchase for your infant or toddler is made by a reputable manufacturer is another good idea. Furthermore, while some parents may poo-poo the emphasis on not buying a used seat because the expiration date has passed, there are good reasons for avoiding this as well.

While saving a few dollars by purchasing a used child safety seat at a local yard sale might seem like an exercise in fiscal restraint, the risks to your child because the seat has either been damaged in a previous crash or has aged beyond its acceptable service life can never truly be justified. The trouble is, once you and your child are involved in a traffic accident, there are no do-overs if that bargain safety seat fails to protect your child. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know that even newly manufactured products can have manufacturing defects that might be dangerous for its users; that said, why risk your child’s life on a used and possibly less-than-perfect item.

As personal injury lawyers, Lebowitz & Mzhen are skilled trial lawyers whose background include products liability law, as well as auto accident injury claims. In cases where a product, such as a child safety seat, has failed because of poor design or improper manufacturing practices, there is potential for a lawsuit for the costs of medical treatment or long-term care resulting from injuries sustained because of the failure of the product.

Whether a safety seat fails due to materials, manufacturing or basic design, our legal team is prepared to examine the facts and advise our clients on the best course of action. Parents everywhere want the best for their children and the safest environments; when a child or an adult is hurt or killed due to the negligence of another party, it is important to consult with a qualified injury lawyer to better understand one’s right to compensation under the law.

This is a serious subject since the injury to a child is not something anyone wants to contemplate. And while we see a great deal of people who have been hurt in car and truck crashes, the frightening thing for most parents is that traffic accidents are considered the main cause of death for young children. Car accidents are number one, with drowning and fire-related fatalities next down on that grim list.

If there is one heartening point in any of these statistics, at least for those conscientious parents, it is that about half of the traffic-related deaths for children are usually tied to the fact that the youngster was not wearing his safety belt. But in those instances where a young child, teen or infant is hurt or killed, it is almost imperative to talk to a personal injury attorney who has experience in representing families whose child has been wrongfully hurt or injured in a car accident.

Of course, every parent should acquaint themselves with the rules and recommendations for protecting young occupants of motor vehicles. One additional point that we would include here is that a rear-facing child safety seat should never be used in a passenger seat that has an active airbag. Serious injuries and even death can result to a child in such a situation; and failure to follow this requirement is not only highly dangerous for any child, but is unlawful as well.

As Maryland injury attorneys, we fully understand the grief that every parent feels having lost a child to a senseless auto accident. We are therefore dedicated to assisting those families whose child has been injured or killed following a negligence-related traffic wreck. While not every personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit goes to trial, our legal experts prepare every client’s case with the full intent to take it to trial. Out-of-court settlements can also occur when a plaintiff has a strong legal case against the responsible party(s).

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a traffic accident of any kind, regardless of whether the victim is an adult, a minor child or an infant, we strongly recommend that you speak to a qualified auto injury lawyer with years of experience handling Maryland personal injury claims. Our auto accident attorneys are ready to discuss your car, truck or motorcycle injury accident so you may be better informed regarding your rights to compensation. Call us at our toll-free number -- (800) 654-1949 -- or contact Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen by email to arrange for a free, no-obligation consultation.