A seatbelt claim isn’t just about a bad crash. It’s about whether the restraint system failed in a way that could reasonably be tied to the injuries—such as:
- the belt didn’t lock or locked abnormally
- the retractor malfunctioned, leaving slack when it shouldn’t
- components jammed or didn’t load the occupant as designed
- damaged or improperly functioning restraint hardware contributed to injury
In Washington, insurers often argue the injury came solely from impact forces. The goal of a restraint-defect claim is to show the defect (or malfunction) mattered—either by causing the injury or making it worse.


