When thinking about potential car accidents, people often think of the injuries the other driver might cause. But what about the injuries you could sustain from parts of your car? Airbag injuries are extremely common during car accidents, even though they are supposed to keep drivers safe. This is because some airbags are defective and may malfunction once deployed, and end up doing more harm than good to the driver.
Research published by the American Medical Association found that “individuals using airbags and seat belts sustained facial injuries at a rate of 1 in 449, compared with a rate of 1 in 40 for individuals who did not use seat belts or airbags.” This shocking statistic proves that airbags can save lives and cause significant injuries to drivers’ heads and necks.
Common airbag injuries
Some commonly-reported airbag injuries include:
- Scrapes and lacerations to the arms, chest, face, and neck
- Eye injuries
- Bruising of arms, knees, and organs
- Asthma attacks, coughing and throat irritations
- Burns on the hands, arms, and chest
Serious airbag injuries
Some more severe injuries could include:
- Spine fractures and sprains
- Fractured skull, ribs, facial bones, and wrists
- Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and brain contusions
- Lesions on the liver, spleen, heart, and lungs
- Hearing loss and other trauma to the ear
Who is liable?
The key to winning an airbag injury claim is proving that the airbag was defective or designed in an unreasonably dangerous way and that the manufacturer did not give drivers adequate warning. The odds of winning a personal injury case simply because a deployed airbag injured you are slim. Faults on the part of the airbag manufacturer, automobile manufacturer, or auto inspector must be proven to win compensation. Your personal injury lawyer can help you build a case.
Contact a New York Airbag Injury Lawyer
If a defective airbag has injured you, please consider contacting our team at Hach & Rose, LLP for help. Our team of defective product attorneys has over 100 combined years of experience dealing with product defects (including airbag injuries), and we want to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call our office at (347) 318-9604 to discuss your legal options today.