Airbags have played a vital role in saving lives in accidents since they were first implemented nearly 50 years ago, preventing the deaths of an estimated 50,000 American lives. Airbags prevent about 29% of driver deaths and 32% of front-seat passenger fatalities in head-on collisions. Because airbags must inflate faster than the crash force of an accident to intercept the internal collision of a motorist with the dash, they instantly explode outward after ignition. Despite unequivocally saving lives, airbags themselves commonly cause injuries ranging from minor to severe.
What Types of Injuries Do Airbags Cause In Accidents?
Airbags forcefully deploy in only 1/20th of a second by filling with a harmless gas when the airbag’s sensors detect a collision and ignite the canister containing the bag. Airbags prevent direct contact between motorists and the steering wheel or dash. Some new vehicles also have side-impact airbags. Airbags are designed to work in conjunction with a seatbelt; however, the stunning force of airbag deployment often causes injuries—even while preventing death. Common airbag injuries include:
- Broken noses
- Facial and dental trauma
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Head injuries/traumatic brain injuries
- Eye injuries
- Ear injuries
- Wrist fractures
- Broken ribs
- Internal organ injuries
- Lung problems in those sensitive to the gas used to inflate the airbag
- Bruises and abrasions
Airbags can cause injuries even when functioning appropriately, but worse injuries occur when an airbag has a defect that changes when and how it inflates.
Common Defective Airbag Failures
Defective airbags cause serious injuries. The most well-known airbag defects are those in the millions of recalled vehicles with Takata airbags. These airbags degraded over time and expelled dangerous shrapnel when deployed, causing injury and death. Takata airbags are not the only faulty airbags, improperly installed airbags, or airbags with defective sensors. Injuries result from airbag defects such as the following:
- Faulty sensors that cause unnecessary deployment or a lack of deployment
- Inflator defects that cause overly forceful inflation
- Delayed deployment
- Over-inflation
- Electrical problems
- Calibration problems
When airbags do not deploy correctly, fail to deploy when necessary, or deploy unnecessarily—such as when a driver hits a pothole—they can cause serious injuries.
What to Do After an Airbag Defect Accident
After any car accident, the first thing you should do is call 911 and give stabilizing first aid to yourself or any other injured parties. If you think your car’s airbags caused injuries to yourself or a passenger in your vehicle, use your phone’s camera to snap photos of the deployed airbag, the damaged vehicles, and the accident scene. Add the contact information of the other driver if the accident was a collision. It’s also helpful to add the names of any nearby eyewitnesses who saw the accident.
If you suspect your airbag caused injuries, it’s important to seek medical help directly after the accident. Ask for a detailed medical report and keep copies of all medical bills and related expenses.
How Can a South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Help?
A car accident lawyer in South Carolina carefully investigates all aspects of an accident, including the airbag deployment, often consulting with experts who can identify airbag malfunctions as well as medical experts who can identify airbag injuries. Call Marc Brown Law Firm for experienced representation after an accident with airbag injuries in South Carolina so we can pursue all avenues for your compensation, including a claim against a defective or improperly designed airbag.