While airbags often help save lives and prevent more serious injuries, problems with them can also lead to severe injuries, hurting the very people they were designed to protect. The risk of airbag injuries in car accidents increases substantially when an airbag does not function correctly or fails to deploy.
Car accident cases involving defective airbags can be more complicated than a traditional case brought against a negligent driver. An experienced OKC personal injury lawyer can carefully evaluate your case, identify the cause of your injuries, and present a persuasive argument for maximum compensation. Contact the Oklahoma Injury Law Firm today for a free consultation to discuss your situation in confidence.
Common Causes of Airbag Injuries
Airbags have sensors that trigger the ignition within less than a second of detecting a collision. Ignition inflates the airbag with great force, causing the airbag to expand outward, attempting to provide a cushion between the motorist and hard interior surfaces in the vehicle. This tremendous force can sometimes cause injuries to vehicle occupants, even when it works as intended.
Additionally, airbags sometimes fail to deploy properly or have other issues that can lead to occupant injuries. Notable recalls have involved airbags that had a gas canister defect that caused corrosion, leading to a shrapnel-like effect when the airbag deployed.
Other airbag malfunctions may be caused by issues such as:
- Deployment that is too forceful for the circumstances
- Faulty on-off switches or sensors
- Faulty sensors that do not trigger airbag deployment when necessary
- Improperly calibrated sensors, which cause the airbag to deploy unnecessarily
- Airbag design flaws
- Electrical system malfunctions
- Airbags that are poorly installed or reinstalled
An experienced Oklahoma City vehicle accident attorney can carefully review your case and determine how the airbag problem occurred and who is responsible for it.
Common Types of Injuries That Occur from Airbags
Airbag injuries tend to occur on the upper portion of a crash victim’s body, including the following:
- Facial trauma
- Dental trauma
- Eye injuries
- Broken noses
- Ear injuries
- Broken collarbones
- Chest injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Broken or bruised ribs
- Shoulder injuries
- Arm and hand injuries
- Wrist injuries
Additionally, accident victims can experience respiratory problems due to the gas that fills airbags.
When the airbag does not deploy as necessary under the circumstances, victims may suffer catastrophic injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, including those that result in partial or complete paralysis
- Ruptured or herniated discs
- Amputations
- Neck and back injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Death
An experienced OKC airbag accident injury lawyer from our firm can help accident victims or their families pursue maximum compensation for their losses.
Contact the Oklahoma Injury Law Firm for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in an accident due to a defective airbag or an airbag’s forceful deployment, an experienced Oklahoma City airbag injury lawyer from the Oklahoma Injury Law Firm can help. Our legal team works together to pursue justice and recover maximum compensation so you can focus on your recovery. Contact us today or call us at (405) 310-8800 for a free, no-obligation consultation.