Defective Car Seat Injury Lawyer in Michigan

‍When a Safety Device Becomes Dangerous

Parents buy car seats to protect their children — not to watch them fail in a crash. You do everything right: research the safest brands, read the manual, and buckle your child in tight. But when a car seat meant to save lives instead causes injury or death, the heartbreak and anger are unimaginable.

The guilt can be overwhelming — but let’s be clear: these tragedies are not accidents. They are the result of corporate negligence, poor testing, and defective design. A product that fails to perform as promised is not a mistake — it’s a betrayal.

At Marko Law, we fight for Michigan families who’ve been betrayed by dangerous products and negligent corporations. Our team, led by Detroit trial attorney Jon Marko, stands up to manufacturers, retailers, and distributors who put profits ahead of safety.

Jon Marko has earned a reputation for winning high-stakes product liability and injury cases across Michigan — with multi-million-dollar verdicts that have made headlines and changed lives.
➡️ See our Verdicts.

If your child was hurt because a car seat failed during a crash, you are not powerless — and you are not alone.

Understanding Defective Car Seat Injury Cases

A defective car seat injury case arises when a child’s injuries are caused — or made worse — by a car seat that was unsafe, defective, or recalled.

Under Michigan law, manufacturers, retailers, and even certification agencies can be held responsible when their product fails to perform as a reasonable consumer would expect. And importantly, parents don’t have to prove misuse — product liability applies even when the car seat was installed and used correctly.

The Three Main Categories of Car Seat Defects

1. Design Defects – These involve flaws in the car seat’s basic design, such as weak plastic shells, inadequate side-impact protection, or materials that don’t withstand real-world crash forces.
   
   
2. Manufacturing Defects – These occur during production or assembly, leading to problems like broken buckles, misaligned harnesses, or improperly secured anchors.
3. Failure to Warn – When a manufacturer fails to include clear instructions, warning labels, or fails to announce recalls in a timely and effective manner.

In Michigan, these cases fall under the Michigan Product Liability Act (MCL 600.2945), and may also involve claims for negligence or breach of warranty. Marko Law has deep experience handling complex product liability claims — uncovering hidden evidence, exposing corporate negligence, and holding manufacturers accountable for the harm they cause.

How Car Seat Defects Cause Injuries

When a car seat fails in an accident, it doesn’t just fail a safety test — it fails a child. Instead of protecting them, the defect can make injuries worse or even turn a survivable crash into a tragedy.

Common Scenarios That Lead to Injury or Death:

• Buckles that pop open during impact, allowing a child to be thrown forward or ejected.
• Harness straps that rip or detach, leaving the child unsecured.
• Plastic frames that crack or collapse under normal crash pressure.
• Seats that detach from their base or vehicle anchors, causing violent movement during a collision.
• Incorrect or misleading installation guidance, leading even careful parents to unknowingly use the seat unsafely.
• Expired or recalled car seats still in circulation, due to poor recall enforcement or lack of manufacturer outreach.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thousands of car seats are recalled every year — yet many defective models remain in use because companies fail to notify parents effectively or delay recall announcements altogether.

Common Injuries Linked to Defective Car Seats

When a car seat fails, the results can be devastating. Children’s bodies are smaller, more fragile, and far more vulnerable to impact. What should have been a lifesaving device instead becomes a source of trauma — or tragedy.

At Marko Law, we’ve represented Michigan families whose children suffered catastrophic injuries because a car seat didn’t do its job. These cases are heartbreaking, but they share one truth: they were preventable.

Here are the most common injuries linked to defective or unsafe car seats:

• Head and Brain Injuries (TBI): Weak padding or poor head support can cause severe brain injuries, including concussions and long-term cognitive impairment. Learn more from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on TBI.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: When straps, buckles, or bases fail to hold the child securely, the spine can suffer permanent damage or paralysis. Read more at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
• Internal Injuries and Broken Bones: Cracked plastic shells, sharp fragments, or ejection from the seat can cause internal bleeding, organ damage, or fractures.
• Chest and Abdominal Trauma: Defective harnesses or buckles can cause crushing injuries, restricting breathing or injuring ribs and internal organs.
• Wrongful Death: Tragically, some car seat failures result in fatalities — when a child is ejected, struck by debris, or suffers trauma from seat collapse. Families may have the right to bring a wrongful death lawsuit under Michigan law.

Michigan Car Seat Laws and Safety Standards

Michigan’s Child Passenger Safety Law (MCL 257.710d) is designed to protect children — but following the law doesn’t always guarantee safety when a product is defective.

Here’s what the law requires:

• Children under 4 years old must ride in a federally approved child safety seat.
• Children must remain in a booster seat until age 8 or until they reach 4'9" in height.

However, compliance with the law does not protect manufacturers when their products fail. Even if a car seat meets “federal standards,” it can still be dangerous if design testing was inadequate or quality control was ignored.

Parents should regularly verify their car seat’s safety using the NHTSA Recall Database. Defective or recalled models can remain on the market for years — and many parents never receive a recall notice.

How Marko Law Investigates and Builds Your Case

When a car seat fails, the truth doesn’t always come easy — but at Marko Law, we know how to uncover it. Our firm takes a hands-on, aggressive approach to every child injury and product liability case. We don’t rely on what manufacturers claim. We dig deep to find what they’re hiding.

Here’s how we build a powerful case for Michigan families:

• Forensic Testing: We preserve and analyze the defective car seat, the vehicle, and crash data to determine exactly how and why the seat failed.
• Expert Collaboration: We work with engineers, biomechanical experts, and pediatric specialists who can scientifically explain how the defect caused or worsened your child’s injuries.
• Corporate Discovery: We subpoena internal safety reports, recall data, and company emails that often reveal negligence, cost-cutting, or ignored warnings.
• Crash Reconstruction: Using simulation and expert testimony, we recreate the crash to show what should have happened — and what went fatally wrong.
• Aggressive Legal Action: We file discovery motions and hold companies accountable when they refuse transparency. No cover-up goes unchallenged.

Compensation Available to Michigan Families

No amount of money can undo the harm done to a child — but holding negligent corporations accountable can help families recover, rebuild, and move forward with dignity. Under Michigan law, families may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.

Here’s what may be recoverable in a defective car seat injury case:

• Medical Expenses: All costs related to emergency treatment, surgeries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and future medical needs.
• Pain and Suffering: For the child’s physical and emotional trauma, as well as the family’s anguish and distress.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: When a child’s injuries cause long-term disabilities or impact their ability to live a full, normal life.
• Parents’ Lost Wages: For time missed at work to care for the injured child or attend medical appointments.
• Punitive Damages: When a company’s conduct shows reckless disregard for safety — these damages punish wrongdoing and deter future harm (Cornell Law: Punitive Damages).

Michigan’s “Serious Impairment of Body Function” Threshold

Michigan law limits non-economic damages (like pain and suffering) to cases involving a “serious impairment of body function.” This means the injury must affect the child’s ability to live or develop normally.

At Marko Law, we’re experts at proving this threshold through medical evidence, expert testimony, and detailed documentation. We work with specialists who can explain how an injury impacts a child’s future — physically, cognitively, and emotionally.

Justice for Michigan’s Youngest Victims

Parents do everything right — they research, they buckle up, they follow every safety rule. Yet when corporations cut corners, it’s children who pay the price.

At Marko Law, we believe that’s unacceptable. Our firm fights for the truth, exposes corporate negligence, and demands justice for every Michigan family betrayed by a defective product.

We don’t settle for silence. We fight for accountability.

If your child was injured or killed because a defective car seat failed to protect them, now is the time to act.
Michigan law limits how long you have to file a product liability claim — and crucial evidence can disappear fast.

Don’t wait. Protect your child’s rights and hold negligent corporations accountable.

Contact Marko Law for a Free Case Evaluation

📞 Phone: +1-313-777-7777
📍 Main Office: 220 W. Congress, 4th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
🌐 Website: www.markolaw.com