Seat Failure

Automobile seats are supposed to protect vehicle occupants in wrecks. They are considered to be a component of the restraint system. Yet in many vehicles on the road today, weak, poorly designed seats fail and collapse in even low speed wrecks, endangering the lives of not only seat occupants, but people seated behind the collapsing seats.

How can this be? Aren't there safety standards that require automobile seats to meet certain strength requirements?

There is a federal safety standard applicable to seat strength. Unfortunately, it's a outdated, weak standard that can be satisfied by the average aluminum lawn chair. Recognizing this, some automobile manufacturers equip their vehicles with seats that vastly exceed the strength requirements in the largely meaningless federal standard. Many manufacturers, however, do not . . . as a result, the seats in their vehicles are dangerous safety hazards.

Douthit Frets Rouse Gentile & Rhodes LLC is a Kansas City-based law firm representing plaintiffs nationwide in auto defects cases involving seat failure and the devastating harm that follows. Why choose us? The experience, expertise, and perspective that we bring to the table in these matters is not only out of the ordinary, it has proven profoundly beneficial to injured people and families on many occasions.

Having worked as defense counsel for major auto manufacturers, we understand the "defense mentality" far better than attorneys who have only worked on the plaintiff's side of the aisle for their entire careers. In fact, many of our cases around the country come as referrals from other lawyers or are instances in which lawyers want to participate in a “joint venture” with us to take advantage of what we can offer their clients.

We have obtained record verdicts and settlements in a number of states for some of our past clients.

And, we have become so respected by auto manufacturers that in some cases, we are able to get cases resolved favorably before hundreds of thousands of dollars have to be spent preparing and litigating the issues in court.

AV Rated* — Respected in Kansas, Missouri, and Throughout the U.S.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious head injury or paralysis as the result of a car seat failure, call our Kansas City, Missouri, law offices at 816.941.7600 or complete the brief e-mail form located on the contact page of this Web site.

All seat failure and other auto defects cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. We do not receive any attorneys' fees unless we are able to obtain a verdict or settlement.