Alarmed by a recent fatal jack collapse incident in our city, our Houston jack failure accident lawyers decided to take a look at data from across the country. The National Center for Statistics and Analysis, part of the U.S. NHTSA, complied detailed data on jack failure accidents in a special Research Note.
The NHTSA Research Note, put together using data from the U.S. CPSC’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) examined data from 102 incidents of jack collapse injury across the nation.
The sample data was obtained from a specific group of hospitals. Our Houston jack failure accident lawyers point out that based upon the pattern of incidents, NEISS estimated that 4,822 people in the U.S. receive hospital emergency treatment in a single year for jack failure injuries. That’s almost 5,000 people injured by the simple act of jacking up a vehicle for repair.
The NEISS data looked at motor vehicle jack failure accidents according to:
First our Houston jack failure accident lawyers note that not one injured person from the sample of 102 cases was female. So extrapolating the sample, the NHTSA determined that the estimated 4,822 people injured across the U.S. annually were 100% male. But the agency also says that the limited size of the sample means that one can’t conclusively say that women never receive injuries from jack failure.
Additionally, 82% of those injured in jack collapses were between 15 and 45 years of age. Only 2% were below the age of 15. And the proportion of injured victims above 45 years of age declined significantly by the age of 54.
Of those injured in jack collapse accidents, the NEISS data indicated that 96% were treated in the emergency rooms and released. Only 4% were hospitalized. The data did not examine fatal jack failure incidents.
The range of injuries reported fell into the following categories:
39% of the most severe injuries were to the hand, finger, or wrist. Another 17% of the most severe wounds were sustained on the upper trunk of the body, with another 15% to the head, neck, or face.
40% of the jack failures occurred when the jack was being used to lift the vehicle for a repair, and another 19% occurred while the victim was changing a tire. 74% of the accidents were tied to the jack or the vehicle slipping or falling, while 18% were linked to a loss of pressure in the jack so that the jack could no longer support the vehicle.
The NEISS data reveals that sudden collapse of a defective jack can lead to all kinds of injury, from amputations and disfigurement, to crushing of internal organs. As the tragic story out of Houston of a teen’s death under a Chevy that fell from a jack demonstrates, jack failure might even lead to fatal injury.
Our experienced Houston jack failure accident lawyers could help if you or a loved one have been injured in a jack collapse and you don’t know where to turn. We have been successfully handling complex product defect and injury cases on behalf of injured clients for almost 15 years.
Our Houston jack failure accident lawyers know the law, and understand the technical evidence required to prove your claim. Let us help you win the full financial recovery you deserve for your needless injury. Call us today, toll free, at 877-307-9500 or use our convenient online contact features to schedule your free in initial case evaluation consultation with us.