Women and those who are small-statured are susceptible to serious injury from airbags. Airbags deploy at miles per hour and can do a great deal of damage.
If an occupant is small in stature, they necessarily sit close to the steering wheel to reach the foot pedals, which puts them directly in the path of the powerful force of an airbag.
Older women are particularly at risk for severe injury because many also have osteoporosis and other complications that can compound the injuries caused by the impact of a fast-deploying airbag. Women tend to have thinner bones than men.
For these women, an airbag can cause grave injuries. Even under the best circumstances when airbags deploy as planned, they can still cause injuries.
When an airbag fails to deploy, that too can cause serious and life-threatening injuries. These injuries include the following:. A drunk driver crosses the centerline and hits your vehicle head-on and the driver airbag fails to deploy, but the unoccupied passenger frontal airbag deploys.
It is possible under these circumstances that there is both a personal injury auto case as well as a product liability case. The drunk driver and his insurer would be responsible for injuries caused by the initial crash and a foot fracture, for example. However, the traumatic brain injury and facial fractures that would have been reduced or mitigated by the presence of an airbag had it deployed are the responsibility of the automobile manufacturer.
Of course, if you have been injured, your first priority should always be to seek medical attention. If you suspect problems with the way the airbags functioned in the collision, make sure your vehicle is preserved. Then, contact us to help ascertain whether there may be a defect in the airbag system in your vehicle. The airbags in your vehicle are an automotive product, so if they were defective, you have the right to pursue an automotive product liability case.
These kinds of cases are complicated and involve a great deal of investigation and legal experience handling these types of cases. An experienced lawyer can help you determine what your next steps should be, and whether an automotive defect case is a right choice for you or if you were the victim of an injury caused by defective airbags.
If you have been injured, you have medical bills to attend to and potential long-term injuries to contend with, and you should contact an airbag defect lawyer.
Even though the vehicle manufacturer cannot prevent the initial crash, manufacturers can design their vehicles to protect you in foreseeable crashes. It has to be: Airbags need to get in front of the person they're protecting and fully inflate before that person makes contact with something more harmful than the airbag itself. The average driver's side airbag inflates in 20 to 30 milliseconds, exploding out of its housing at miles per hour kilometers per hour [sources: Huffman , DMV ].
In fact, the technology used to deploy airbags is similar to the technology in some rocket boosters. Airbags exert a lot of force, so it is possible to be hurt by one. Sitting too close to a deploying airbag can result in burns and injuries. Using an airbag without a seatbelt or having something between you and the airbag like a pet, a glass bottle or even a cell phone can also result in serious injury.
The people most at risk of death from airbag deployment are children and small adults, because their bodies can't take the force. Moreover, most children ride in child safety seats, which aren't designed for use with airbags. Seat type and positioning can also put a child at risk.
Rear-facing child safety seats, for example, should never be used in the front seat of a car because an airbag could cause serious injury or death if it strikes the back of the seat.
Airbags undoubtedly save lives when they're used properly, and they pose little risk to adults. If you must have a child ride in the front seat of a vehicle, and if your car is so-equipped, you can switch the front passenger airbag off fairly easily — the instructions are in your owner's manual. Timing is critical in the deployment of the airbag.
Here are some safety tips to follow:. Airbags have saved numerous lives since their use in modern vehicles; however, they have also caused many severe injuries. Always follow airbag safety tips when driving or riding in a vehicle and ensure your passengers do as well. If you have an airbag injury, contact a California car accident attorney from Arash Law to learn more about your legal rights and options.
Our seasoned personal injury lawyers have recovered over million dollars for our clients. Contact Arash Law today by phone at or online to receive your free case evaluation with an experienced California car accident lawyer from our law firm. You pay no upfront fees with our no-win, no-fee guarantee. Type of Accident? Proven Track Record Over time, we've won thousands of cases securing millions for our clients. It is generic legal information. Under no circumstances should the information on this page be relied upon when deciding the proper course of a legal action.
0コメント