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Airbags save lives and reduce the risk of serious injury in car crashes. In fact, airbags have been found to reduce front-end accident fatalities by 29 percent for the driver and 32 percent for the front-seat passenger. Side airbags also reduce the driver’s risk of death in a side-impact crash (also called a T-bone crash) by 37 percent for a car driver and 52 percent for an SUV driver. While airbags are overwhelmingly more beneficial than harmful, there are situations where they can cause injuries, mainly if the airbag or its sensors or other components are defective.
If you or a loved one were injured by an airbag, it’s possible you may have a claim against the manufacturer. To find out, you’ll need the help of an experienced Georgia car accident lawyer. Attorney Ali Awad founded the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm to assist people who have been injured by another’s negligence. It soon became the fastest-growing law firm in the country, beating 499 other firms. Mr. Awad also delivers engaging yet useful legal advice to more than a million followers on social media. To learn about the options in your case, please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation.
When Do Airbags Cause Injuries?
Most airbag injuries are either due to a manufacturer defect, design error, or improper use. Airbags are most effective for people who wear seatbelts and are seated correctly. However, a defective airbag can still lead to injuries in several ways:
- Random deployment. Modern airbags use sensors to determine when to deploy. If the sensors detect an impact over a certain speed, depending on whether or not the user is wearing a seatbelt, the airbag is supposed to fill with gas and deploy. However, a defective sensor or other components can cause the bag to deploy without an impact, or at a lower speed than is beneficial. If this happens, you could suffer common airbag injuries, including face or eye injuries, lacerations or bruises, hand and wrist injuries, and even internal injuries or bleeding.
- Problems with ventilation. Sometimes the airbag does deploy correctly, but the gases used to inflate the bag aren’t properly vented. This can lead to burns and respiratory issues for the user. People with existing breathing problems may be especially prone to respiratory difficulties from gas exposure.
- Aggressive deployment. Airbag injuries were more common when the safety devices were put into more frequent use in the 1980s and 1990s, especially for smaller front-seat passengers. In 1998, government regulations required that manufacturers “depower” new airbags, meaning that they would deploy with less force, reducing the risk of injury. Today, injuries from correctly deployed airbags are rare. However, if the airbag inflates more forcefully than safety standards dictate due to a malfunction or design defect, this may cause injuries.
- Non-deployment. If your airbag malfunctions and doesn’t inflate when your car suffers an impact at the indicated speed, you could be at higher risk of injuries from the crash itself. Often faulty sensors or other components are also to blame in this type of injury. Not sure if your airbag should have opened? First, obtain a copy of your accident report from the responding law enforcement agency, then speak with a Georgia car accident lawyer.
What to Do After an Airbag Injury
See a doctor about your injuries right away, even if you think they’re very minor. Airbags deploy with a lot of force, and your injuries could be more serious than you realize. It’s also important to document the injury in case you develop chronic pain or problems.
Take pictures of the damaged car, particularly of the seat you were in and what the airbag looked like after the accident. You can do this while taking pictures of the outside and other damaged areas that the car insurance carrier will probably require. Depending on who was at fault in the accident, either the other driver’s insurance company or yours will likely cover the damage and offer you a list of preferred providers for the repairs. They will usually give you a certain amount of time to make these repairs.
We recommend speaking to a lawyer before having the interior of the car fixed, as the deployed airbag will probably be removed and replaced at that time. If your lawyer believes you may have a case against the manufacturer, they may want to have their investigative team look over the car before this happens. They could also want to keep the deployed airbag for further analysis and evidence.
Can You Still Seek Compensation from the Other Driver If They Were At Fault?
Yes. It is possible to have a valid claim against both the other driver and the airbag manufacturer, especially if there is evidence that an airbag defect made your injuries worse than they otherwise would have been. You should speak with a lawyer about filing a claim with the other driver’s insurance company for your damages. However, in some cases, the other driver may be uninsured or underinsured (have a smaller amount of coverage than the amount of your damages). Sometimes your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UI) will kick in and pay the rest of your damages. If there is still a coverage gap, we will help you seek compensation from the airbag manufacturer if it appears they were negligent.
Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm
When you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, it can be hard to get the insurance company to pay your claim. An airbag injury adds another potential layer of complication, and the airbag manufacturer is likely to deny responsibility. The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm is always ready to fight for your rights to compensation. We’re available for a free consultation about your case, and there are never any up-front fees. We won’t charge you anything until we win your case. Call us today at 833-254-2923.