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Many newer vehicles now also include side-impact airbags which help save lives during T-bone accidents and other angle collisions. Airbags are designed to work together with seatbelts to provide a cushion between the motorist and the hard surfaces of the dash and steering wheel during an accident. While inarguably saving lives, the forceful outward explosion of an airbag in less than 0.05 seconds causes specific types of injuries. These injuries escalate when an airbag or seatbelt doesn’t function appropriately, isn’t installed correctly, or has a design defect that makes it inherently unsafe.
A car accident attorney in New Haven can provide needed legal guidance if you are injured by an airbag. Call (203) 888-8888 today for a free consultation.
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Statistics show that airbags save lives. Research reveals that front-seat airbags reduce driver deaths by nearly 30% and front-seat passenger deaths by 32%. While this is true, airbags can also cause considerable damage to a driver or vehicle occupant if defective. Airbags use sensors to detect and measure the force of a collision so the bag inflates appropriately in a serious collision but does not inflate when a driver hits a pothole. When the sensors trigger ignition, the bag instantly inflates with gas and explodes outward at up to 200 miles per hour. Even when functioning appropriately, airbags often cause injuries to the head, face, and upper body at the same time that they prevent worse injuries and death.
The extreme force of airbag deployment causes blunt-force trauma injuries to the head, face, and upper body of motorists in collisions. If the airbag’s calibration is off by even a microsecond, the severity of airbag injuries increases. Airbags cause injuries such as the following:
In the worst cases, overly forceful airbag deployment can cause internal organ damage, including bruising to the heart muscles or aortic rupture—all life-threatening emergencies.
In the decades since auto manufacturers began installing airbags, millions of vehicles have been recalled due to dangerous airbag malfunctions, including the Takata airbag recall affecting multiple car models. Takata airbag gas canisters corrode over time causing deadly shrapnel to explode into the vehicle upon deployment. Other common airbag malfunctions include the following:
A typical car accident claim recovers damages from the insurance of the at-fault driver, but when a defective airbag causes serious injury, an injury victim may recover compensation through a defective product claim against the manufacturer.
To recover compensation for airbag injuries requires an in-depth investigation and consultation with subject matter experts to build a compelling case. A New Haven personal injury lawyer from Weber & Rubano will conduct an investigation, gather evidence, carefully calculate your damages, and present a compelling case for full compensation. Contact our Connecticut car accident law firm online today so we can get started with a free consultation.