Maison Law can help you if you’ve been injured by an airbag in a car accident. We understand that there’s numerous things both inside and outside of your car that can hurt you. This includes the airbag, which is designed to protect you in the event of an accident, but can cause various injuries when they explode. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a car accident, contact us today for a free consultation.
What Injuries Can Happen When an Airbag Explodes?
As a driver, you’re probably fairly familiar with how your airbags generally work. When there’s impact from an accident or some other collision, your airbags are designed to pop out from your steering wheel, dashboard, or the inside of your doors to protect you, providing a buffer from the hard interior of your car itself.
The question of whether or not it hurts when an airbag explodes can be answered just by looking at the mechanics of how they deploy. Most airbags are powered by an ignitor that is tripped by a crash sensor. When there’s a crash, the ignitor goes off, instantly and strongly inflating the bag itself with a chemical reaction. This, obviously, can result in a variety of injuries itself:
- Cuts and bruises – Probably the most common place pain comes into play when an airbag explodes are cuts and bruises. The sheer force of the explosion can cut or bruise parts of your body that come into contact with the bag itself.
- Eye injuries – Frequently, the rapid inflation of the airbag can lead to eye injuries, from corneal abrasions or irritation. This is why it’s recommended to keep a safe distance from the airbag and steering wheel.
- Burns – In some cases, chemical burns may occur due to the substances used in the airbag’s inflation process. However, modern airbags are designed to minimize this risk. Still, if you drive an older model car, this is a common injury.
- Broken bones or dislocations – The force of the airbag explosion can lead to fractures or dislocations, especially if you are sitting too close to the airbag or aren’t properly restrained by a seat belt.
- Pre-existing injuries – People with pre-existing health conditions or injuries may experience a worsening of their conditions due to the force of the airbag deployment.
Obviously, given the nature of an airbag, there’s certain injuries and harm that can come from them. With that said, the overall safety they provide can balance out the potential harm. So, if you’ve been hurt by an airbag deployment, it’s helpful to understand what your options are.
Can You File an Injury Claim After Being Hurt by an Airbag?
Whenever you get hurt in a car accident in California, the law says you can file an injury claim against any responsible party. While this usually means the other driver, there are certain instances where you can file an injury claim against the airbag manufacturer. However, as you might expect, the circumstances in which you can do this are somewhat unique.
Basically, in order to file an injury claim, you have to show negligence. This means showing that the manufacturer breached their duty of care to keep you safe, and you were hurt in the process.
So, to pursue an injury claim in this situation, consider taking the following steps:
- Getting medical care
- Reporting the incident to police, your insurance carrier, and the manufacturer
From there, you can begin collecting important evidence, like:
- Any documents related to the airbags, including manuals and specifications provided by the manufacturer.
- Records of when and where the airbags were purchased.
- Correspondence, emails, or letters between you and the manufacturer regarding the airbag issues.
- Opinions from professionals in the automotive industry who can assess whether the airbags meet industry standards and if there are any defects.
- Consultations with your doctors and other care providers, who can provide opinions on the link between the airbag issues and the injuries sustained.
- Clear photographs or videos of the defective airbags, highlighting any visible issues.
- The accident scene and the condition of the airbags post-accident.
- Whether the airbags in question are subject to any recalls. If there are recalls, it might strengthen your case.
All of this is strong evidence of the potential harm that can happen when an airbag explodes. To that end, you can potentially recover financial support for your medical expenses and the physical pain and mental suffering the airbag deployment caused you. That is the overall goal of the claims process. It’s here that our experienced team can help you from start to finish.
Maison Law Can Guide You Through the Legal Process
At Maison Law, we have extensive experience in helping clients through all manner of injury claims after a car accident. This even includes injuries from airbags and other parts of your vehicle. Don’t face the situation alone. If you’ve been hurt by an airbag, contact us today for a free consultation to explore your options.
