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My seatbelt broke in a crash, can I legally do anything?

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Old 04-23-06, 11:35 PM
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Arrow My seatbelt broke in a crash, can I legally do anything?

Ok guys, I was in a car accident earlier today and I crashed my recently aquired 91 coupe. The most shocking part was that the seatbelt ripped right out of the pillar and allowed me to smash my face on the steering wheel. I was only doing 20mph at the absolute most and that was before I slammed on the brakes.

DO you think i can take any legal action against mazda for this faulty ****?
Attached Thumbnails My seatbelt broke in a crash, can I legally do anything?-photo_042306_005.jpg   My seatbelt broke in a crash, can I legally do anything?-photo_042306_018.jpg   My seatbelt broke in a crash, can I legally do anything?-photo_042306_019.jpg  
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Old 04-24-06, 12:00 AM
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I doubt it unless many other FC's with that same seatbelt system have the same issue.
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Old 04-24-06, 12:04 AM
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there was a recall a while back, it is replaceable free and you prolly have a case too.
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Old 04-24-06, 12:07 AM
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holy **** dude are you alright?
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Old 04-24-06, 12:08 AM
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yea, there is a recall for the auto seatbelts, but it was because they wouldnt slide any longer, not because they broke, i'd look into it, thats totally not safe.

and yes, are you ok??
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Old 04-24-06, 12:14 AM
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was you belt all the way forward when it broke?
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Old 04-24-06, 12:18 AM
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Im fine thanks for asking, and what do you mean all the way forward? The top portion of the belt was all the way at the end of the track where it ends up when the doors close.

Last edited by BklynRX7; 04-24-06 at 12:25 AM.
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Old 04-24-06, 12:20 AM
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that car is to sexy to wreck.
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Old 04-24-06, 12:29 AM
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Originally Posted by cdaleracer669
that car is to sexy to wreck.
Your telling me, ive only had that sexy **** around 3 weeks and this happens. At first I was half flipping on the guy but then I calmed down and asked if he was ok and calmy took pics of everything, it was when i reached into the car for my keys when I noticed the belt, I was possibly slightly more pissed than about the accident itself. I just thouhgt "damn, i was going slow what if this happen on the highway?"
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Old 04-24-06, 12:50 AM
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now that i read your sig, i dont think you could have a case, you have lambo doors, mazda would argue that it compromised the seat belt, it probably didnt, but there is no way to know.
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Old 04-24-06, 12:52 AM
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This means you can put in a harness
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Old 04-24-06, 01:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Agent_D
now that i read your sig, i dont think you could have a case, you have lambo doors, mazda would argue that it compromised the seat belt, it probably didnt, but there is no way to know.
Naww that wouldnt make sense, the lambo hinges never go anywhere near the door frame. Theyre just behind the fender exactly where the stock hinges were.
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Old 04-24-06, 01:04 AM
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Originally Posted by rx7b13
This means you can put in a harness
...and a roll bar
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Old 04-24-06, 01:06 AM
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The same **** happened to me. My seatbelt was broken at the time and I was having probs getting the dealer to fix it. It was about halfway back on the track and I got into a front end collision going like 20 and that **** broke just like yours. Very dangerous. Those two little hole things are the only things holding it into the belt assembly. Luckily I only barely hit my head on the wheel and everything was ok. If you get anything going I will help with anything I can.
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Old 04-24-06, 01:07 AM
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like i said, it probably has nothing to do with it, but if you were to *try* to get some kind of settlement out of it, they would use that as their argument point cause its not stock, and they could say anything they wanted about it, like "well the car was not intended to work with that type of door, thats why we didnt use them" etc etc
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Old 04-24-06, 01:08 AM
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Well it happened to me too and my door is stock.
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Old 04-24-06, 01:09 AM
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That's the auto seatbelt?
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Old 04-24-06, 01:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Agent_D
like i said, it probably has nothing to do with it, but if you were to *try* to get some kind of settlement out of it, they would use that as their argument point cause its not stock, and they could say anything they wanted about it, like "well the car was not intended to work with that type of door, thats why we didnt use them" etc etc
Well I see what you were saying but its not like the doors popped open during the crash or anytihng to do with them, yes the car was modded but the seatbelts were untouched.

Originally Posted by RED1990GTU
The same **** happened to me. My seatbelt was broken at the time and I was having probs getting the dealer to fix it. It was about halfway back on the track and I got into a front end collision going like 20 and that **** broke just like yours. Very dangerous. Those two little hole things are the only things holding it into the belt assembly. Luckily I only barely hit my head on the wheel and everything was ok. If you get anything going I will help with anything I can.
Thanks, if something developes Ill definitely contact you.
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Old 04-24-06, 01:12 AM
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Originally Posted by eatmyclutch
That's the auto seatbelt?
Yes
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Old 04-24-06, 08:24 AM
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You ----> <---- Steering Wheel

Originally Posted by BklynRX7
...and a roll bar
After that seatbelt broke you should probably put a giant piece of foam on your steering wheel.

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Old 04-24-06, 08:39 AM
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I hate to rain on your parade, but if you tried to sue, you probably wouldn't win. You must suffer damages in order to sue. You said you were "fine" despite the fact that the seat belt broke.

Unless the accident causes some sort of physical injury (i'm guessing you didn't go to the hospital and get checked out), or you totally wigged out and could point to some kind of emotional distress you're suffering (again, you would need evidence, eg couldn't sleep unless you were in your parents bed, have an unreasonable fear of driving), you wouldn't be successful in your claim.

Yeah, I'm a second year law student.
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Old 04-24-06, 09:26 AM
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Your a dumb *** for trying to sue over a 20mph accident.. but go for it, bankrupt yourself trying to sue because a ~20 year old part failed... But then again most of the people who try to sue over this kind of nonsens really don't have that far to go to become ' bankrupt' in the first place.. Maybe instead of investing in lambo doors you should have invested in a good seat and some 4 point belts..
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Old 04-24-06, 09:31 AM
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...harness...

Originally Posted by BklynRX7
...and a roll bar

actaully a harness and a roll bar can be considerably less safe for street use.
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Old 04-24-06, 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by doridori-rx7
Your a dumb *** for trying to sue over a 20mph accident.. but go for it, bankrupt yourself trying to sue because a ~20 year old part failed... But then again most of the people who try to sue over this kind of nonsens really don't have that far to go to become ' bankrupt' in the first place.. Maybe instead of investing in lambo doors you should have invested in a good seat and some 4 point belts..
That's not the point, the point is that a safety feature failed; it doesn't matter if its 20 years old, or 2 years old!!
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Old 04-24-06, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by doridori-rx7
Your a dumb *** for trying to sue over a 20mph accident.. but go for it, bankrupt yourself trying to sue because a ~20 year old part failed... But then again most of the people who try to sue over this kind of nonsens really don't have that far to go to become ' bankrupt' in the first place.. Maybe instead of investing in lambo doors you should have invested in a good seat and some 4 point belts..

your a dumbass for posting stupid **** like that, its a seat belt, its supposed to work throughout the life of the vehicle, if you were in your FC and wrecked and you had a friend or someone in your passenger seat, and they died cause the seat belt failed, you'd be pissed too, so stfu.
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