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What Some Jury Members and Clients
-Michael G., Former Client
-Veronica A., Former Client
"Thank you very much for all the work that you did on our behalf. I really appreciate everything that you all did, as well as your professionalism and the timely manner in which you got things done.
Also, please give our thanks to your staff who were so helpful when we had questions! If we have need of your services or if we know anyone else who does anytime in the future, we will certainly give you a call! Thank you again for everything."
"A little over two years ago I received a telephone call that all parents dread to hear. The person on the other line simply said, “Your daughter has been in an accident”. Well here I was 1500 miles away from her , trying to absorb the rest of the conversation, trying to stay focused enough to get the details. Shortly after I arrived in Texas my lovely daughter of 38 years passed away from injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident.
I won’t continue this story, however what I will say is, when things calmed down a little, I knew I must become a voice for my daughter. Though a chain of events our family was introduced to the Ammons Law Firm of Houston, Texas.
From the first initial contact with Mr. Robert Ammons and his staff, I hung up the telephone feeling as if I and my family were in good hands. We had constant contact from Ohio to Texas via the telephone and the computer for two years. The staff made all the arrangements anytime I had to fly to Texas and made sure I had comfortable accommodations while I was there.
My family and I were kept abreast of the progress for our case on a regular basis. Anytime I had any questions, the staff was polite, informative, and punctual with the answers.
I am very satisfied with the level of concern and commitment Mr. Ammons and his staff displayed from the beginning to the conclusion of our association.
I would highly recommend this law firm to anyone who might be seeking one.
Thank You Mr. Ammons and your staff."
This was my first case to be on a jury. I really connected to the attorneys and the family."
Bennett cares for the well being of my children and me, and is truly sincere. During the two years of my lawsuit and throughout the trial, Bennett was there to answer any questions or concerns I had. I am grateful for all of his hard work, advice, and support.
The Ammons Law Firm believed in my late husband and what I was fighting for. They brought out the truth, and brought justice to his name. The friendships that were made with the attorneys of the Ammons Law Firm will be life long. I could not have done this without them."
-Candee P., Former client
"I was totally happy with Rob Ammons and the lawyers at the Ammons Law Firm. Rob Ammons went the extra mile. I am beside myself. I feel so good with the settlement they obtained."
-Christopher R., Former Client
"Thank you for everything, this [incident] has been the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone. But thank God we have a great support system. Again thank you sooo much from the bottom of our hearts."
-Monica S., Former Client
-Teressa H., Jury member
Seatbelt Defects and Airbag Defects
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Houston Seat Belt/Air Bag Defects Lawyer
When it works properly, the seat belt and the air bag are indisputably the most important safety devices in an automobile. However, when they work poorly or completely fail to work, the seat belt and air bag can cause serious injury and even death.
Thanks in part to public service efforts, such as the "buckle up for safety" campaigns, as well as to mandatory seat belt use laws, Americans now buckle up in record numbers. Most of us believe our families and friends have a good chance of surviving a crash if they are buckled up. Unfortunately, the seat belt defect attorneys at the Ammons law firm know better.
Millions of vehicles on the road have defective seat belt systems, these systems are incapable of providing reasonable protection in otherwise survivable accidents. Our seat belt defect attorneys have learned many of these defects have been known to the auto industry for many years.
Each of The Ammons Law Firm seat belt defect attorneys have handled many cases involving rollover-prone SUVs and light trucks. While investigating these cases our attorneys have learned seat-belt related failures are specific to rollover crashes.
Testing by our Ammons Law Firm seat belt defects attorneys have shown many current belt systems do not properly hold the occupant in the seat. Excessive movement of the occupant in a rollover can cause serious injury or death by allowing partial ejection of the head and body through the side window.
Seat Belt/Air Bag Defects Case Results
Seat belt in 93 Mazda MX3 unbuckled, spinal injuries
SETTLEMENT Confidential
SUV Rollover Reveals Defective Seat Belt
SETTLEMENT Confidential
Seat Belt Defect: Rollover Leads to Latch Plate Failure
SETTLEMENT Confidential
Defective Airbag Hits Passenger In Face After Low Speed Impact
RESULTS: SETTLEMENT Confidential
Collapsed Roof and Defective Seatbelt Causes Death
RESULTS: SETTLEMENT Confidential
Seatbelt Buckle Defect and Weak Roof Structure Kills Mother
RESULTS: SETTLEMENT Confidential
Defective Seatbelt in '98 Explorer Causes Teen Permanent Injury
RESULTS: SETTLEMENT Confidential
Defective Air bag attorney Rob Ammons talks to NBC news about air bags that don't deply even after a major accident
Seat belt defect attorney Rob Ammons talks to CBS news about the new Texas seat belt law mandating seat belts in new school buses.
Common Seat Belt Defects
Our seat belt defects attorneys have discovered some of the more common seat belt defects include:
- Latchplate and Buckle inertial unlatching & false latching: Inertial unlatching occurs when the seat belt becomes unlatched during a collision, allowing the latch plate to pull out of the buckle. Though the auto industry denies that a seat belt can inertially unlatch, recent testing has demonstrated how accident level forces can cause the buckle "pawl" or button to depress and release the latch plate. Millions of vehicles have seat belts that are susceptible to this phenomenon.
- Retractor failure: During an accident, the seat belt retractor "locks" the seat belt webbing and holds the occupant in place. When the retractor fails to properly lock, excessive webbing leads out of the retractor and results in seat belt slack. Sometimes as little as a few inches of slack can mean the difference between an injury-free event and catastrophic or fatal injuries. In a frontal collision, for example, a snug shoulder belt should restrain the occupant in the seat and prevent injurious contacts with the steering wheel and windshield. A slack or loosely fitting shoulder belt might allow the occupant to move forward and contact these objects. Retractors can fail to lock because of design defects as well as manufacturing defects. One failure mode of certain "direct drive" retractors is a phenomenon known as "skip-lock" or "skipping" - which occurs when the retractor lock bar hits the tip of a ratchet tooth and bounces away instead of engaging the root of the tooth and locking the webbing. Auto manufacturers vehemently deny that skip-lock can occur, but it has been documented in the literature as well as in General Motors' internal research projects.
- False latching: This occurs when the latch plate looks, feels and even sounds like it is latched when inserted into the buckle but is not fully engaged. Minimal amounts of force will cause a falsely latched buckle to completely release the latch plate. When a seat belt is falsely latched or becomes inertially unlatched, the occupant is essentially unbelted and unrestrained and moves as though he or she were never belted in the first place. Such occupants are frequently ejected or found unbelted inside the car. Though the occupant was properly belted before the seat belt became unlatched, the police report will often list the occupant as being unrestrained. Cases involving inertial unlatching or false latching frequently arise when either a surviving occupant insists he or she was belted or when other occupants confirm that the deceased occupant was wearing a seat belt.
- Torn or Ripped Webbing: When the seatbelt tears or is ripped in half during an accident, something has gone terribly wrong. Seat belt webbing is designed to withstand the forces of most survivable collisions without ripping or tearing. Torn or ripped webbing might occur because of a defect or manufacturing flaw in the webbing itself, such as material or weaving deficiencies. Ripped or torn webbing might also be the consequence of some other vehicle defect. Any defect that allows excessive slack or payout of the webbing can cause the belt to be "snap-loaded" - loaded too rapidly, which can sever the webbing. Sharp or protruding edges of vehicle components can also cut through the seat belt.
Evidence that a seat belt failed because of design or manufacturing defects is often subtle and can be difficult to detect. Each seat belt defect lawyer at the Ammons Law Firm is trained to spot any of these common seat belt defects and many more. If a belt failure is suspected, the most important thing to do is preserve the vehicle and the seat belt system. It is extremely difficult to prove that a seat belt failed without the physical evidence. The Ammons law firm seat belt defect attorneys help our clients find results that bring their families relief after seat belts fail in automobile accidents.
Air Bag Defects
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 41,000 people nationwide were killed in car accidents in 2007. Another 2.5 million people in the United States were injured in motor vehicle crashes during this same time period.
Manufacturers routinely install air bags in almost all vehicles to improve accident outcomes. Air bags are supposed to make drivers feel safer because they are designed to inflate on impact, keeping drivers from hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or windows. Yet oftentimes manufacturing defects can result in air bags that are dangerous, and even deadly. Faulty air bags can cause injuries such as facial fractures; head, neck and spinal cord damage; blindness; ruptured eyes; burns and severe bruising.
At the Ammons Law Firm , our air bag defects attorneys immediately take the steps necessary to help you obtain all of the compensation to which you may be entitled. When an air bag deploys, it inflates with a force approaching 2,000 lbs. and a speed of up to 200 mph. It is not surprising, then, that injuries often occur when drivers and passengers are seated less than 10 to 12 inches from the steering wheel or dashboard.
Ammons Law Firm air bag defects attorneys understand air bags were designed for individuals approximately 5’8” in height and weighing 180 pounds. As a result, air bags pose a substantial hazard to shorter motorists and especially to children. Our airbag defects attorneys are trained to look for the specific problems with airbags that lead to injury. An air bag may fail to deploy upon impact, deploy with too much force, inflate at the wrong angle, or inflate too slowly.
Our air bag defects attorneys can identify problems inherent with many defective airbags. Airbags sometimes deploy when they should not such as in a very low impact situation or when there is no crash at all.
Since air bags were first introduced in 1990, millions of vehicles have been recalled due to air bag defects. As recently as October 2008, Nissan recalled more than 200,000 vehicles after the company discovered a potential air bag sensor problem.
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The Ammons Law Firm air bag defects attorneys have resolved many airbag matters and decide the best strategy for handling your unique case. Our air bag defects attorneys can help recover money for your pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical bills and lost wages or other financial damages.
News Reports on Airbag Deployment Failures.
Lawsuit Filed Against Trucking Company And Driver
Release dateline: January 5, 2012
Workplace Negligence Attorney Settles Fatal Scaffolding Collapse Lawsuit
Release dateline: January 5, 2012
Suit Filed Against Cooper After Tread Sepearation Causes Deadly Rollover
Release dateline: January 4, 2012
Article - Update On The Ammons Law Firm Scholarship Recepient Devon Wade.
Release dateline: December 21, 2011
Suit Filed Against Car Dealer That Failed To Warn
Release dateline: December 13, 2011
Michelin Rollover Crash Suit Settled
Release dateline: December 13, 2011
Lawsuit Filed Against Trucking Company In Jack-Knife Crash
Release dateline: December 6, 2011
Rollover Crash Suit Settled Against Bridgestone And Ford
Release dateline: December 6, 2011
Product Defect Attorney Rob Ammons Files Suit Against General Motors LLC After Seat Back Collapses in Crash
Release dateline: November 30, 2011
Product Defect Attorney Settles Suit Against German Auto Manufacturer in Deadly Rollover Crash
Release dateline: November 30, 2011
Product Defect Attorney Settles Suit Against Nissan in Deadly Rollover
Release dateline: November 30, 2011
Bus Accident Attorney Rob Ammons and Jarod Bonine of the Ammons Law Firm Investigate Bus Rollover
Release dateline: November 15, 2011
Toyota Recalls 420K
Cars in U.S.
Release dateline: November 9, 2011
Suit Filed Against Ford After Fatal Explorer Rollover
Release dateline: November 2, 2011
Tire Defect Lawyer Rob Ammons Files Suit After Tread Separation Causes Deadly Rollover Accident
Release dateline: October 21, 2011
Truck Accident Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit Against Trucking Company and Chrysler in Highway Crash
Release dateline: October 10,2011
"Benefits Of A Grief Counselor's Testimony" Is Rob Ammons Latest Publication In The October 2011 Edition of Trial Magazine
Release dateline: October 2011
Industrial Accident Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit After Crane Collapse at Port Arthur Refinery Injures Worker
Release dateline: September 28, 2011
Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit for Seriously Injured Toddler
Release dateline: September 28, 2011
Tire Defect Attorney Rob Ammons Files Suit Against Michelin and Dealership After Tread Separation Causes Fatal Crash
Release dateline: September 28, 2011
Attorney Rob Ammons Settles Suit Against Ford In Deadly Rollover Crash
Release dateline: September 22, 2011
Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit Against Wenzel Downhole Tools, U.S., Inc., and Driver for Causing Rollover
Release dateline: August 30, 2011
Product Defect Attorney Rob Ammons Files Suit Against GM After Fatal Rollover
Release dateline: August 26, 2011
Rollover Attorney Files Suit Against Honda After Fatal Rollover
Release dateline: August 25, 2011
Lawsuit Filed After Fatal Rollover
Release dateline: August 19, 2011
Roof Crush Seatbelt Defect Attorney Rob Ammons Wins Settlement After Truck Rollover
Release dateline: July 22, 2011
Injury Attorney Rob Ammons Wins Settlement for Ship Worker Injured at Work
Release dateline: July 21, 2011
SUV Rollover Attorney Rob Ammons Files Suit Against Ford After Fatal Rollover
Release dateline: July 11. 2011
A Tanker Truck has exploded in a Chambers County refinery. The explosion was reported around 4:20pm cst near FM1405 and FM2354.
Click here for more on this story.
Release dateline: June 24, 2011
Truck Accident Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit After 18-Wheeler Slams into Wrecker Driver Fixing Flat
Release dateline: June 23, 2011
Crash Tests Indicate Jeep Fire Risk
Release dateline: June 16, 2011
Important Tire Safety Tips
Release dateline: June 7, 2011
Tire Defect Attorney Rob Ammons Files Lawsuit Against Ford Motor Company and Michelin North America After Tire Failure Deadly Accident
Release dateline: May 31, 2011
Explosion Attorney Rob Ammons Talks to NBC News About Dangerous Pressure Vessels
Release dateline: May 20, 2011
KPRC Interviews Ammons Law Firm's Bennett Midlo About an SUV Seatback Lawsuit
Dateline: March 17, 2011
Release dateline: 3/1//11
Accident Attorney Settles Suit Against Driver and Metals Supply Company
Release dateline: 3/10/2011
Explosion at Enterprise Products Plant- Rob Ammons Reminds Workers of Their Legal Rights
Rob Ammons 2010 Verdict Named by Lawyers USA Among Top Ten in the Nation
Release dateline: 1/22/11
Bridgestone Americas Tire Failure Suit Settled
Release dateline: 1/17/11
Mediation Resolves Lawsuit After Tree Trimmer's Roadblock Causes Deadly Accident for Motorcyclist
Release dateline: 1/2/2011
Mammoth Crane Collapse Claims Settled by The Ammons Law Firm
Release dateline: 12/27/10
Taking On Toyota
Release dateline: 11/19/10
Release dateline: 11/10/10
Rob Ammons Named 2010's Best Civil Lawyer
The Houston Press selects Rob Ammons as the premier personal injury lawyer of Houston.
Split Deployment Air Bags- Another Air Bag Defect Danger
Release dateline: 9/14
Rob Ammons talks to NBC news about air bags that only deploy on one side during an accident
Dangers Of Unbelted Students In School Buses
Release dateline: 9/19/10
Rob Ammons on the dangers for students who ride in school buses that don't have seat belts to protect them during an accident.
Record Trucking Accident Verdict Result for Family of Young College Student
Release dateline: 7/27/10
Young woman dies when the driver of an 18-wheeler doesn't pay attention to the road.
Houston Lawyer Believes Trial Strategy Critical for Big Verdict Result
Release dateline: 6/25/10
A look into how Rob Ammons obtained results for his client.
Car Tires At Risk
Release dateline: 5/30/10
Car tire defect lawyer Rob Ammons tells CBS news tires at risk this weekend
Aging Tires A Danger
Release dateline: 5/15/10
Tire defect attorney Bennett Midlo talks to Fox news about aging tire dangers
Rob Ammons Files Toyota Accelerator Lawsuit
Release dateline: 2/8/10
A fitting remedy for upfitted trucks
Companies that ‘upfit’ truck bodies for specific functions such as utility work should make engineering and design modifications rooted in safety. When they haven’t, here’s how to prove their negligence.
