When a bicycle helmet fails to protect as designed, injured cyclists may have product liability claims against helmet manufacturers. Helmets are safety equipment expected to reduce head injury severity—when defects compromise that protection, manufacturers bear responsibility for resulting harm.
How Bicycle Helmets Should Protect
Bicycle helmets are designed to absorb impact energy and reduce forces transmitted to the skull and brain. The foam liner crushes on impact, extending the deceleration time and reducing peak forces. The outer shell distributes impact force across a larger area and provides penetration protection.
Properly functioning helmets significantly reduce head injury risk. Studies suggest helmets reduce the risk of serious head injury by approximately 60-70% and fatal head injury by similar amounts. When helmets fail to provide this expected protection, questions arise.
Types of Helmet Defects
Design defects affect all helmets of a particular model. Inadequate foam density, insufficient coverage area, poor strap retention systems, or shells that shatter rather than absorb impact are design defects making helmets unreasonably dangerous.
Manufacturing defects affect individual units. Improperly molded foam, substandard materials substituted in production, or missing retention system components are manufacturing defects causing specific helmets to fail.
Warning defects involve failure to provide adequate information about helmet limitations, proper fit, replacement intervals, and care. Helmets that degrade in sunlight, require replacement after any impact, or only protect within certain speed ranges require appropriate warnings.
When Helmets Fail to Protect
Evidence suggesting helmet defects includes helmets that crack completely through rather than absorbing impact, helmets that come off during crashes despite proper fitting, foam that does not compress indicating inadequate impact absorption, and injuries inconsistent with helmet condition—severe head trauma despite apparently intact helmet.
Head injury severity exceeding what would be expected given impact forces and helmet presence suggests the helmet did not perform as designed.
Safety Standards and Testing
Bicycle helmets sold in the U.S. must meet CPSC safety standards established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. These standards set minimum requirements for impact attenuation, strap strength, coverage area, and other factors.
Failure to meet CPSC standards constitutes a defect. However, meeting minimum standards does not guarantee adequate protection in all circumstances—helmets may still be defective if they fail to perform reasonably for their intended purpose.
Proving Helmet Defect Claims
Preserve the helmet exactly as it was after the crash—do not clean, repair, or discard it. Expert examination can identify material defects, analyze failure patterns, and compare performance to standards and similar products.
Medical records documenting head injuries and expert testimony connecting those injuries to helmet failure support causation. Evidence of similar failures in the same helmet model strengthens design defect claims.
Potentially Liable Parties
Product liability claims can be pursued against helmet manufacturers, component suppliers whose materials failed, distributors and importers, and retail sellers. This ensures recovery options exist even if the original manufacturer is overseas or out of business.
If you suffered head injuries despite wearing a helmet, preserve the helmet and consult with an attorney experienced in product liability to evaluate potential defect claims.