The Health and Legal Implications of Airbag Injuries: What You Need to Know
Updated: 2 days ago
Airbags have been an essential safety feature in vehicles for decades. Airbags are meant to protect us. But they can sometimes cause serious health problems. Common types of injuries caused by car airbag deployment include organ damage, face bruising, or broken ribs.
If you believe an airbag has harmed you, addressing the health implications is crucial. In this article, we will explore the health reactions of airbag injuries. We will discuss the legal steps to pursue compensation.
Table of Contents
What are the Health Implications?
Airbags have existed for decades. Some members of the public didn’t trust them when they first came out. However, since then, companies that make them always modified them. The modern versions often do their job well.
Every once in a while, though, an airbag might deploy and hurt someone. It might even kill them. Airbag injuries can have serious health effects. So, you must prioritize your well-being after an accident. Understanding health risks and seeking proper care is crucial for recovery.
Common Health Issues Caused by Airbag Deployment
Airbags deploy with significant force. This can result in various injuries. Common health problems include organ damage, severe bruising, and broken ribs. At times, the chemical reactions triggering airbag deployment can cause burns. Breathing issues may arise due to the release of irritants.
Airbag injuries range from minor abrasions to life-threatening conditions. Airbags protect car passengers by deploying suddenly and forcefully. But this sudden force can sadly cause a variety of injuries, too.
Facial Injuries
Abrasions: The airbag can cause friction burns and scrapes on the face, especially around the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Lacerations: In some cases, the airbag can cause deeper cuts or lacerations on the face.
Fractures: The force of the airbag can break bones in the face, such as the nose, cheekbones, or jaw.
Neck and Spine Injuries:
Spinal Fractures. In severe cases, it can cause fractures in the cervical spine.
Whiplash. The airbag's sudden inflation can jerk the head and neck. This motion results in whiplash injuries.
Also READ: Soothe Wry Neck with Acupuncture and Self Acupressure
Chest Injuries:
Rib Fractures: The impact of the airbag can cause broken ribs.
Internal Injuries. At times, it can cause internal injuries such as bruised or punctured lungs.
Eye Injuries:
Eye irritation. The deployment of the airbag can release dust and chemicals. These can irritate the eyes.
Retinal damage. In rare cases, the force of the airbag can cause damage to the retina.
Burns. The rapid inflation of the airbag can generate heat. This can cause burns on the skin.
The severity of airbag injuries can vary a lot. This depends on factors such as the severity of the collision. The distance of the occupant from the airbag also matters. Another factor is the occupant's physical condition.
Airbag Injuries to the Face
Airbag injuries to the face are pretty common in high-impact car accidents. That happens when airbags deploy rapidly. Wearing seat belts properly is crucial. It can reduce the severity of airbag injuries to the face. The goal of airbag technology is to protect drivers and passengers. Advances in airbag technology aim to reduce airbag injuries to the face.
Immediate and Long-term Health Concerns
Seek immediate medical attention if you have an airbag injury. Undiagnosed internal injuries can lead to complications. Long-term health effects can include chronic pain and limited mobility. There could also be mental trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Assessing the Cause of Airbag Injuries
You must determine if your airbag injury resulted from a defect. Accurate diagnosis is key after an airbag injury. This helps with your recovery and potential legal action. A malfunctioning airbag can deploy improperly. And it can cause serious harm.
Medical Record and Recovery
Maintaining detailed medical records after an airbag injury is critical. An extensive record ensures you receive appropriate care. It also helps you track your progress in recovery. Regular follow-ups with healthcare providers can help address any emerging health issues promptly.
Preventive Measures and Safety Practices
Always wear a seatbelt. Ensure that young children sit in the back with appropriate restraints. This minimizes the risk of airbag injuries. Regular vehicle maintenance checks are also essential. It helps to ensure that airbags function correctly during emergencies.
Finding Justice: The Legal Battle After an Airbag Injury
You need careful thought and a skilled personal injury attorney. These will help to successfully navigate an airbag injury lawsuit. Success in these cases depends on a thorough investigation. And also on persuasive arguments. Legal and technical complexities make these cases challenging.
You Will Need to Hire the Right Lawyer
First, you must locate and hire the right personal injury attorney. That’s not always easy. You can find many personal injury lawyers with no issues. But how many lawyers win airbag injury lawsuits?
Prioritize lawyers with experience in airbag injury cases. If not possible, choose one specializing in personal injury. You can visit the lawyer you’ve chosen and explain what happened. They can accept you as a client if they feel you have a case. You can decide on the payment structure. Personal injury attorneys often accept contingency payment plans.
Your lawyer must determine who you can sue. Might you successfully sue the airbag producer? Maybe you’ll blame the vehicle maker instead. Perhaps you’ll bring lawsuits against both entities.
Did the Airbag Function Correctly?
First, you must decide to sue either the airbag or the car maker. Then, your lawyer must take action. They must start examining. They will often have detectives on their payroll already.
You must try to figure out whether the airbag functioned correctly. Did it deploy in the way the producer intended? Or did something go wrong that caused the injury?
The issue might not be with the airbag itself. The car producer could have installed it incorrectly. This could mean you might sue the car company instead of the airbag maker.
Can You Prove the Airbag Caused the Injury?
Do you think the car company installed the airbag correctly? But it still malfunctioned and caused injuries. Now, the challenge is proving this to a jury.
You may have to show the jury the airbag’s remnants. Your lawyer might produce an expert witness. They can point to the airbag’s deficiency. Or they can point out some weak points that caused the injury.
The expert witness might show a standard airbag and discuss how it deploys. Then, they can use the damaged airbag to show how it failed. They may also show the jury diagrams and talk about the physics involved.
Convincing a jury of the airbag's defect is a significant challenge. Most jurors won't have the technical knowledge to understand the issue. You need to explain the airbag problem clearly to the jury. Use simple language, as they may not understand technical terms. If they don't understand, you may not win your case.
Did You Do Anything Wrong?
You must also consider if your actions led to the injury. The jury needs to understand the airbag malfunction. Avoid technical jargon. Explain it clearly so they can understand and support your personal injury claim.
Maybe you had an adult sitting in the passenger or the driver’s seat. Your case might be weaker if the passenger wasn't sitting as they should have been. You probably won’t win your case if the evidence establishes this.
To collect any money, you will likely need to provide proof. You must prove that the airbag did not function correctly. You must also show that you weren't responsible for the airbag injury.
Strategies That Usually Result in a Win for the Plaintiff
With these types of personal injury cases, strategy always matters. You might think the airbag company or the car builder is at fault. If you can’t prove it, you will probably get nothing. You will probably get nothing if you can’t get the jury to see things your way.
You want to produce a preponderance of evidence. Your lawyer needs to question witnesses to build your case effectively. That is not always easy. You need to persuade the jury to support your case. Appearing sympathetic can help, but you need solid proof to win.
Winning an airbag injury lawsuit can be challenging. But it's still worth trying if you believe you have a case. Even if you don't win big, you might still receive some compensation.