South Jersey Airbag Injuries Lawyer

The addition of airbags to vehicles has inarguably saved lives—as many as 50,000 lives in the last 30 years since they became mandatory in new vehicles. While frontal and side-impact airbags provide crucial cushions to absorb the impacts of a collision and protect motorists from contact with the hard surfaces of the dash or door during a crash, the airbags deploy with stunning force. An airbag explodes outward in only 1/20th of a second at 200 miles per hour with a 2,600-pound force. The force of an airbag can cause serious injury—even as it saves a life—but sometimes airbags deploy unnecessarily, too forcefully, or in too close a proximity to a motorist, causing substantial injuries to vehicle occupants.

What Types of Injuries are Caused by Car Airbags?

Airbags use sensors to detect an impact, triggering an airbag to instantly inflate at full force. They are designed to work in conjunction with seatbelts to prevent injuries. Unfortunately, they sometimes cause significant injuries in the process, particularly when they don’t function properly, or sensors aren’t calibrated correctly to avoid unnecessary deployment. Common injuries from airbags include the following:

• Facial and dental trauma
• Brain injuries
• Eye injuries
• Ear injuries
• Clavicle (collarbone) fracture
• Neck injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Fractured ribs
• Injury to the heart
• Internal bleeding
• Chemical burns
• Respiratory problems

Airbag deployment is a serious matter even when they operate properly and save lives. They often cause additional injuries in an accident. When they deploy unnecessarily, such as in a minor fender-bender, they may cause more harm than good, resulting in serious injuries with temporary or permanent consequences to injury victims.

Can I Recover Compensation for an Airbag Injury in South Jersey?

Even in no-fault car accident states like New Jersey, where car accident victims file claims against their own insurance regardless of which driver caused an accident, a serious airbag injury may be cause for a defective product lawsuit or a claim for compensation against the manufacturer of the vehicle or airbag. Although some airbag injuries, such as a broken nose and black eyes, are painful and upsetting, more serious injuries like damage to the heart muscle or an eye injury with permanent vision impairment may be life-altering. A successful claim for compensation against an airbag manufacturer, automotive company, or airbag installment service can recover an injury victim’s damages like medical expenses, lost wages, compensation for pain and suffering, and disability. 

How Can a South Jersey Airbag Injury Lawyer Help?

No one should have to take on a car accident claim without an attorney, but they become particularly complex when they involve defective airbags or airbag injuries requiring a product liability claim. A South Jersey car accident attorney with experience in this area will investigate the accident, examine the medical reports, and consult with mechanical and medical experts to obtain evidence that the airbag in your vehicle caused serious injuries with economic and non-economic damages. Then they will make a compelling claim on your behalf, arguing for the largest compensation settlement or court award from all liable parties. Call the injury lawyers in South Jersey at Grungo Law today so we can begin prompt action in your case.