Like seat belts, airbags are essential safety equipment in many motor vehicles. As such, safety experts and personal injury attorneys have spoken highly of the benefits of airbags in reducing accident injuries. According to NHTSA, frontal airbags saved 50,457 lives from 1987 to 2017. In addition, side airbags saved the lives of 2,790 car occupants, age 13 and older.
This equipment has sensors that detect when the car is in a collision. When this happens, they will inflate with nitrogen gas and deflate as the accident victim contacts it. These activities take less than a second and typically occur in moderate to severe auto crashes.
While they make wonderful equipment, they can also pose an injury risk in some cases. We’ll discuss the potential risks they pose in car crashes in Atlanta and how you can protect yourself. If you have sustained auto crash injuries related to this equipment, it’d be best to contact your car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Do Airbags Cause Car Accident Injuries?
While they can save your life, they can also cause auto crash injuries. These are the primary ways airbags can harm you in an accident:
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Speed and Force
One of the reasons airbags effectively reduce fatality risk is their force and speed. Since accidents happen in split seconds, these safety measures have to be equally as fast to save the victim in time. Many of these safety measures deploy at a speed of up to 220 miles per hour after inflating in a blink of an eye. However, the same speed and force are precisely what makes it dangerous too.
When an airbag deploys, it exerts a sudden force against the person it aims to protect. Such force, like a blow, can cause severe injuries to the person. The harm typically is worse when it involves children and young teenagers.
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Defective Airbags
Another reason an airbag will cause injuries is its defective design or manufacturing defect. Any quality that compromises the safety and proper functioning makes it defective. Sometimes a defective airbag will fail to deploy properly in an emergency. Other times, it may explode and cause severe injuries to the car occupants.
These are the reasons why Takata airbags have been recalled. They contain a faulty seal that allows moisture into the propellant. That makes the airbags malfunction at will.
Common Types of Atlanta Airbag Injuries
You may suffer numerous injuries in a car crash. The types of injury you suffer may depend on the severity of the crash, the type of equipment, and many other factors.
The most common injuries include the following:
- Burn injuries
- Abrasions
- Broken bones and fractures
- Fetal injury and miscarriage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Unconsciousness
- Soft tissue damage
- Asthma attacks and lung irritation
- Internal bleeding
- Eye injuries
- Hearing loss
- Cervical spine injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Neck injuries
- Wrongful death
How to Reduce the Risk of Injuries in Atlanta?
You can reduce your risk of injuries by doing the following:
- Always put on your seatbelts correctly
- Don’t allow children to sit in the front seat. They must be in the back seat with age-appropriate seat restraints.
- Replace airbags after a crash or if the manufacturer recalled them.
Who’s Responsible for My Atlanta Injuries?
Georgia is an at-fault state. Therefore, determining the negligent party in your case is necessary for your claims process. The at-fault person in your airbag injury claim will depend significantly on how you sustained the injuries—and why.
If defective equipment caused your injuries, you might have a claim against its negligent manufacturers. In addition, if you were in someone else’s car, you might hold them responsible if they knew of the airbag defect.
Sometimes, you may be partly responsible for your injuries if, for example, you failed to use a seatbelt. Unfortunately, no two airbag-related injury cases are the same. The sure way to ascertain who’s responsible for your injuries is by consulting with an experienced lawyer.
Schedule an Appointment With Us Now!
Numerous damages may be available for you in an auto collision in Atlanta, Georgia. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your case, you may receive medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, etc. A car crash lawyer in Atlanta can help you secure the best compensation while focusing on recuperating.
The Weinstein Firm boasts of the most passionate personal injury attorneys in Atlanta. We believe in justice at all costs, and we’ll provide the best legal solutions for your case. So contact us immediately and get a chance to speak with an experienced Atlanta auto collision lawyer today.
