Arizona Injury Lawyers for Motorcycle Helmet Liability
While helmets are not required by law for adult motorcycle riders in Arizona, experts agree that wearing a helmet is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself while riding. Helmets save thousands of lives a year and help prevent brain and spinal cord injuries, the most severe types of injuries motorcycle riders can suffer.
When you wear a helmet, you should expect to be protected, and most of the time you are. However, if the helmet is poorly designed or manufactured, it may not provide the protection you need. It is estimated that 14% of motorcycle helmets in use do not meet US Department of Transportation's standards for helmet performance. If a defective helmet contributes to your injuries in a motorcycle crash, the helmet manufacturer may be liable for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Product liability cases of any kind are difficult, and you need an experienced attorney on your side to make your case. At Solomon and Relihan, we begin every case with at thorough review of the facts and relevant law involved in order to determine all possible causes of your injuries.
About Motorcycle Helmets
The typical motorcycle helmet has two primary components: a thin, hard, outer shell made from polycarbonate plastic, fiberglass, or Kevlar and a soft, thick, inner liner made of polystyrene or polypropylene foam. The purpose of the outer shell is to prevent penetration of the helmet by a pointed object and to protect the inner liner so it does not disintegrate upon contact with the pavement. The foam liner is supposed to crush during impact, cushioning the head's impact with the ground or pavement. The primary purpose of motorcycle helmets is to prevent traumatic brain injuries, which result from the head colliding with an object or the ground at high speeds.
Helmet Liability
There have been many court cases in which a helmet manufacturer has been found liable for a rider's injuries due to the failure of the helmet. The helmet failure may be due to either a design flaw or a manufacturing error, or both.
The most common type of helmet failure involves the helmet's chinstrap. It has been proven in many cases that the chinstrap, which is supposed to keep the helmet in place during an accident, has broken and caused the helmet to fly off.
The second most common type of helmet failure has been problems with the helmet's outer shell. The shell make crack or break during impact, exposing the inner liner and making it useless.
