What If My Airbags Didn’t Deploy?

While airbags are intended to prevent serious car accident injuries, they unfortunately don’t always deploy like they’re supposed to. When airbags fail because of a defective design or improper production process, the negligent vehicle manufacturers can be held liable for the resulting injuries. To learn more about filing a lawsuit against the company responsible for your own injuries, call our dedicated Fort Lauderdale automobile defect lawyers today.

Why do Airbags Fail?

Airbags aren’t supposed to deploy in every crash. They are not, for instance, intended to go off when the crash isn’t severe or when a child is detected in the passenger seat. Whether or not an airbag does deploy depends on a number of factors, including:

• The speed of the collision;
• The types of vehicles involved in the crash;
• The direction of the impact;
• The airbag’s specific design; and
• The location of the crash sensor.

Unfortunately, even a minor design error or mistake in the manufacturing process can result in an airbag failing to deploy even in high speed, direct impact crashes, which can have devastating consequences for the vehicle’s occupants.

How Malfunctioning Airbags Can Cause Injury

A malfunctioning airbag can cause injuries in a number of ways. For instance, the failure of an airbag to inflate after a significant collision can leave an occupant at risk of striking the windshield, dashboard, or steering wheel. On the other hand, an airbag that accidentally deploys can cause a loss of steering control and injuries to the face, neck, chest, and arms of the occupant. Airbags are also supposed to minimize injuries when they do go off after a high-speed collision. If, however, they inflate in an overly forceful manner, an occupant could sustain more severe injuries than if the airbag had never deployed at all. Small children in low-impact collisions are especially at risk of injury from over-inflated airbags. Airbags can also deploy too late to provide any help and can even cause additional injuries, including bruises, abrasions, and broken bones.

Injuries from Airbag Malfunctions

When airbags malfunction, either because they deploy too early, too late, too forcefully, or not at all, a vehicle’s occupants could suffer serious injuries, the most common of which are:

• Facial injuries, including broken bones, lacerations, bruising, and eye injuries, which can occur when someone’s face strikes the windshield or the airbag;
• Chest injuries, such as soft tissue damage and broken ribs, a fractured clavicle, or a broken sternum;
• Whiplash, caused by the forceful stretching of the tendons, muscles, and ligaments in the neck upon impact;
• Internal injuries, including punctured lungs, often resulting from fractured ribs; and
• Fractured wrists, fingers, and arms, resulting from an occupant’s attempt to brace him or herself upon impact.

Fortunately, accident victims whose injuries can be traced to a defective or malfunctioning airbag  are often entitled to damages compensating them for their medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

Call Today to Set Up a Free Consultation

For help with your own defective airbag claim, call 954-566-9919 and speak with one of the dedicated Florida automobile defect lawyers at Boone & Davis today.

Resource:

nhtsa.gov/equipment/air-bags