When Safety Gear Fails: The Real Risk of Defective Helmets

Helmets and protective gear are designed to keep us safe. Whether riding a motorcycle, biking through the neighborhood, or suiting up for a contact sport, you rely on that gear to absorb impact and reduce the risk of serious injury. But the results can be catastrophic when safety equipment fails to do its job because of poor design, weak materials, or a manufacturing defect.

At Morgan & Morgan, we represent individuals who’ve suffered serious injuries because their protective gear didn’t protect them. If a defective helmet or piece of safety equipment contributed to your injuries, you may have grounds for a product liability lawsuit.

Helmets Should Protect, Not Put You at Risk

From motorcycle riders and cyclists to football players and skateboarders, helmets are a first line of defense against traumatic brain injuries and other impact-related trauma. But if your helmet was poorly made, didn’t meet safety standards, or failed in a crash, it could be the manufacturer, not the user, who’s to blame.

Common types of helmet and protective gear defects include:

• Cracked or brittle shells that shatter on impact instead of absorbing force.
• Inadequate padding or liner materials that fail to cushion the brain.
• Loose or faulty straps and buckles that can cause a helmet to come off during an accident.
• False certification or labeling, claiming the gear meets safety standards it doesn’t.
• Design flaws that leave critical areas of the head exposed.
• Improper size labeling or fit guides which can cause dangerous looseness or tightness.

When these defects go undetected, or worse, are ignored, manufacturers put lives at risk.

Serious Injuries Caused by Defective Helmets

Protective gear is meant to minimize injury. But when it fails, the damage can be even worse than if no gear were worn at all. Common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions and permanent cognitive damage
• Skull fractures from direct impact to unprotected areas
• Spinal cord injuries, especially in motorcycle and cycling accidents
• Facial fractures or disfigurement due to poor coverage or failed chin straps
• Neck and back trauma from helmets that don’t distribute impact properly
• Wrongful death, particularly in high-speed or high-contact scenarios

In youth sports, especially, improperly certified helmets can leave children vulnerable to repeated head trauma or second-impact syndrome.

Who’s Liable for a Defective Helmet?

If a helmet or protective product failed to protect you in an accident, one or more parties may be held responsible under product liability law. Those may include:

• The manufacturer, for defective design, poor material quality, or failing to meet safety standards
• Retailers or distributors, if they sold a recalled or known defective item
• Testing labs or certifiers for improperly approving an unsafe product
• Importers, if foreign-made gear did not comply with U.S. regulations

Product liability claims often fall into one of three categories:

• Design Defects: The product was initially unsafe, even if manufactured correctly.
• Manufacturing Defects: A flaw during production caused the specific item to be dangerous.
• Failure to Warn: The gear lacked proper usage instructions or didn’t disclose known limitations or risks.

Even if you were partially at fault in the accident, a defect in your helmet or gear may still entitle you to compensation.

What to Do If You’ve Been Injured

If you believe a helmet or protective gear failed during an accident, take these important steps:

• Get medical attention and document all injuries.
• Preserve the gear, do not throw it away, repair it, or wash it.
• Take photos of the equipment, your injuries, and the accident scene.
• Save receipts, warranty info, and packaging for the gear.
• Speak with a product liability attorney who can assess whether the gear was defective, fight for your rights, and help you secure justice.

How Morgan & Morgan Can Help

When safety gear fails, the consequences can last a lifetime. At Morgan & Morgan, we work with engineers, industry experts, and accident reconstruction specialists to determine whether a product defect contributed to your injury and who is responsible.

We may be able to help you recover compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages or future earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Emotional trauma
• Wrongful death (if a loved one was lost)

You Wore the Helmet. You Did Your Part. Let Us Do Ours.

Protective gear should do exactly that: protect. If a defective helmet fails you when it matters most, we’re ready to step in and hold the right people accountable.

Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free case evaluation. Because when safety gear fails, we fight For The People.