Airbags save countless lives each year. Unfortunately, however, these important safety devices also may cause injuries. Some of these injuries occur during car accidents, and others are caused by airbag malfunctions. Regardless of the cause, if you’ve been injured by an airbag, please review the information below, and contact Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC for a free initial consultation.
Common Injuries
Airbags can cause injuries, even when they work properly. Common airbag injuries include:
- Fractures – Airbags can cause fractures, the most common being facial and rib fractures. An airbag can hit a person’s face with tremendous force, causing fractures to the facial bones. In addition, the force of an airbag hitting a person’s chest can be so powerful that it results in fractured ribs.
- Brain injuries – In addition to facial fractures, when an airbag collides with a person’s face, he or she runs the risk of a serious brain injury.
- Miscarriage/fetal trauma – Pregnant women are at a particularly high risk for airbag injuries. Not only can an airbag collision cause miscarriage, but it can also result in fetal trauma.
- Punctures – Airbags sometimes explode without cause and send pieces of shrapnel flying through the vehicle, and this can lead to puncture wounds.
- Death – In the worst of situations, airbags can cause death. This is particularly common when infants or young children are seated in the front seat of a vehicle.
Who is liable for airbag injuries?
Airbag injury cases can be complicated due to the fact airbags sometimes cause injuries even when they work properly. And although every case is different, the following parties are commonly held liable in airbag injury cases:
- The vehicle distributor or manufacturer – Depending on the circumstances, a vehicle distributor or manufacturer may be held liable for an airbag defect, particularly if it failed to attempt to detect the defect or knew of the defect before the accident.
- The airbag manufacturer – When an airbag defect causes an injury, the airbag manufacturer may be held liable for any resulting damages.
- The driver who caused the accident – If another driver causes an accident that results in an airbag injury, the driver can be held liable for any damages that are incurred.
Contact Our Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys Serving Across Texas and Nationwide
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident of any kind, you should contact a Montgomery County motor vehicle accident attorney as soon as possible. At Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, our experienced Texas lawyer understands the devastating effects that auto accidents can have on victims. Our aggressive Montgomery County attorney has helped countless people injured in auto accidents obtain the compensation they deserve. In addition, our Texas car and truck accident attorney has over 35 years of experience trying motor vehicle accident cases throughout the state. Therefore, if you’ve been injured in an auto accident, please contact our law firm as soon as possible for a consultation.