Serving victims of auto glass defects, auto accident injuries:
If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident and was ejected or partially ejected through any window, you need very specialized legal counsel.
Defective auto products, automotive glass injuries
Auto glass is a very good example of how profits come before safety among auto manufacturers. It is well-established that laminated glass (made with a process known as "glass glazing") is much safer in a crash than is tempered glass.
During an accident, people stand a much better chance of avoiding serious injuries if they are not ejected through a window and out of a vehicle. When laminated glass shatters in an accident, its fragments are held in place by a plastic layer, and nothing is allowed to go through the window. By law, all front windshields must be laminated glass.
Tempered glass, on the other hand, will shatter completely in a crash, making an opening and allowing a person to be ejected. The shards of glass will also fly about, often causing lacerations and other injuries. While it is not illegal to have tempered glass in side and back windows (and moonroofs / sunroofs), it is unnecessarily dangerous. But many auto companies still use tempered glass because it is cheaper.
The Bodiford Law Group focuses on auto product liability cases and catastrophic injury cases, so we are uniquely positioned to obtain the best possible results for our clients. We understand auto glass defect cases, how to interpret evidence from the accident and how to best present the case. Here are a few examples of analyzing and utilizing this evidence:
Ejection from a fixed window: A fixed window (i.e., a window that does not roll up and down) can easily be changed from tempered to laminated glass. When people are ejected from a fixed window, it is clear that their injuries would have been much less severe if the manufacturer had spared the small expense of installing a laminated window.
Lack of damage to the window frame: If the crash did not result in any damage to the window frame or in any other part of the car hitting the window, and the window still shatters, it is especially clear that the window itself is to blame. Again, laminated glass would have remained intact.
Date of manufacture: Manufacturers begin using laminated glass in the 1970s and 1980s. Any company making cars since then cannot use the excuse that no one else was using glass glazing. And the more recently the vehicle was manufactured, the less justification they have for using tempered glass, since laminated glass is becoming much more prevalent in the industry.
SUV accidents: In SUVs, which are very susceptible to rollover, it is especially important to utilize laminated glass. However, a large majority of SUV manufacturers still use tempered glass.
Seat belt use: If a person is wearing a seat belt and is still partially ejected during a crash, it is evident that the window is at fault. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration and Ford Company have demonstrated that laminated glass can prevent any ejection for seat-belted occupants.
The attorneys at the Bodiford Law Group have 25-plus years experience holding companies responsible for the injuries caused by their defective and dangerous products. |
