Airbags are a vital safety feature in cars and have saved many lives during car accidents. However, some may wonder if airbag deployment can cause or worsen injuries in car accidents or whether or not their airbags deployed impacts their personal injury case.
While airbags can help save lives, there are cases in which they may cause injuries. If you ever have questions about specifics of your car accident case, it’s best to consult with a personal injury attorney. They will be able to provide you with the expert legal advice you need, rather than the generalized information from a blog post that should not be taken as legal advice.
How Do Airbags Work?
Airbags are meant to cushion occupants of a vehicle during sudden impacts. They’re designed to inflate very quickly, within milliseconds.
When a vehicle is traveling above a certain speed, typically 16-18mph, and has a sudden impact, the crash sensors send a signal to the ignitor in the airbag inflator. Then, gas rapidly fills the airbag, deploying it so that it is fully expanded when it makes contact with the occupant’s body. Almost immediately after the airbag inflates, it deflates, to absorb the energy and cushion the occupant.
Cars are required to have both driver and front passenger airbags. Many automakers these days now include side airbags, rear passenger airbags, and other such airbag systems in order to provide as much protection as possible.
Injuries Associated With Airbag Deployment
While the purpose of airbag deployment is to protect against serious injuries, it is possible to be injured through airbag deployment, for a variety of reasons from sitting too close to the steering wheel to manufacturer defects and beyond.
Some injuries one may suffer from airbag deployment include:
- Burns and abrasions
- Soft tissue injuries
- Hearing damage
- Face and eye trauma
- Lung injuries
- Lacerations
- Contusions
- Neck injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Damage to internal organs
- And more
If you are in an accident, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Symptoms may not appear right away. It’s important for the medical professionals to know if the airbags deployed in your accident, as this can affect your care and necessitate further tests.
What Can Go Wrong When Airbags Deploy?
While they are life-saving devices, nothing is perfect, and things can indeed go wrong when airbags deploy.
- Malfunctioning sensors
- Faulty airbag system
- Airbags deploy too rapidly or too slowly
- Occupants sitting too close to the airbags
- And more
If you were injured because the airbag system malfunctioned, you may be able to obtain compensation. Potential liable parties include: the airbag manufacturer, the auto maker, and anyone who inspected or worked on the airbag system.
What If There Is No Airbag Deployment In Your Car Accident?
Airbags are not meant to deploy in any and every auto accident. The crash sensor gauges the severity of impact to determine if airbag deployment should occur. As such, minor collisions, particularly under a certain mileage per hour, may not include airbag deployment.
However, if the airbag system is faulty or malfunctioning, the airbags may not deploy when they are supposed to. This leaves occupants without the expected protection, which can worsen injuries in car accidents. You may be eligible for compensation if your airbags did not deploy when they were supposed to and you were injured as a result.
It is important to pay attention to any recalls and to have your airbags inspected regularly in order to keep your vehicle as safe as possible.
Can Airbag Deployment Damage Your Car?
You may wonder if airbag deployment means that your car is totaled. While airbag deployment can damage your vehicle, it does not always mean your car is totaled. If the airbags have deployed, they will need to be replaced, as they are no longer safe to use.
Airbag deployment can cause damage to the vehicle. In some cases, the damage from the deployment and the impact may result in a total loss, where the cost to repair the vehicle is more than what the vehicle is worth.
Always have your airbags and vehicle checked by professional mechanics as needed to ensure that your vehicle receives the care it needs to stay safe.
As such, airbag deployment can increase costs of repairs and/or replacements, which can factor into your car accident claim.
Car Accident Personal Injury Attorneys In Northern Utah
LeBaron & Jensen is here to provide you with the help you need. If you have been victim to a car accident, contact us to schedule a case consultation. We don’t ask for any fees until we win your case for you.
