The Effects of Airbag Deployment in Your Car Accident Claim

Airbags save lives and reduce the risk of severe injury when deployed correctly. However, airbags do not deploy in every car accident. They are designed to deploy in moderate to severe collisions.

Can Airbag Deployment Impact My Car Accident Claim?

Whether the airbag deploys can affect your car accident claim. Because airbags deploy in moderate to severe car accidents, the airbag inflating indicates a serious car crash. 

The severity of the collision can increase the risk of traumatic injuries. Therefore, airbag deployment in your car accident supports your claim for severe injuries. Because airbags can cause specific injuries, airbag deployment can also help prove that the crash caused your injuries. 

Insurance adjusters review the car accident report to note whether the airbags inflated during the collision. An adjuster might issue a higher settlement offer because they understand how airbags work and the types of crashes that cause airbags to deploy.

On the other hand, airbags can cause injuries when they deploy. If an airbag causes injuries, one or more parties could be liable for the damages.

How Do Airbags Deploy in a Car Accident?

Airbags are standard on all passenger vehicles beginning with model year 1998. The government extended the requirement for airbags in vans, SUVs, and trucks beginning in 1999.

Frontal airbags deploy when sensors indicate a collision strong enough to cause inflation. Then, in less than a second, an igniter causes a chemical reaction that inflates the airbag. 

The airbag inflates to provide a cushion between the driver or passenger and the dashboard and window. Some vehicles are equipped with curtain, side, or rear airbags. 

Airbags Can Cause Additional Injuries 

Unfortunately, defective airbags have been linked to wrongful deaths and severe injuries. Even when airbags deploy correctly, the force of the impact with the airbag can cause injuries. In some cases, the airbag can worsen injuries caused by the car accident.

Injuries from airbag deployment in car accidents include:

  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Hearing damage from the loud explosion
  • Face and eye trauma
  • Damage to internal organs
  • Fractured and broken ribs
  • Lung injuries from breathing the chemicals released by the airbag
  • Spinal fractures
  • Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
  • Cardiac injuries
  • Neck injury
  • Internal bleeding

It is wise to seek medical treatment after a car accident, especially if the airbag deployed. Victims can sustain internal injuries that might not be immediately apparent. Symptoms might not develop for a few hours after the crash.

When you see your doctor, tell them that the airbag deployed. Based on your systems, your physician might want to conduct additional tests to determine if you sustained internal injuries caused by the airbag’s deployment.

What Causes Airbag Injuries in a Car Accident?

Airbags malfunction or fail to deploy for many reasons. In some cases, the airbag deploys correctly but still causes an injury. 

Reasons why airbag injuries occur in car accidents include:

  • Defective airbags
  • The sensor that causes the airbag to deploy malfunctions 
  • A vulnerable adult or child is seated in the front passenger seat when the airbag deploys
  • An airbag deployed when it was not supposed to deploy
  • A person is sitting too close to the airbag during deployment
  • The individual was not wearing a seatbelt 
  • A manufacturing defect or installation error caused the airbag to deploy incorrectly

The cause of the airbag malfunction is crucial for proving who is responsible for your injuries. Medical specialists, accident reconstructionists, and other expert witnesses can help your lawyer determine how the airbag deployment caused your injury.

Who Is Responsible for Injuries Caused by Airbag Deployment?

If your injuries were caused by or worsened because of airbag deployment, it impacts your car accident claim. 

For example, if defective airbags or manufacturing errors caused your injuries, a manufacturer or third party could be partially liable for your damages. On the other hand, if the airbag deployed correctly but caused additional injury or harm, the at-fault driver could be liable for the damages. 

Once you prove how the airbag injured you and who is responsible, you can demand compensation for the damages. Compensation could include reimbursement of your medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, lost wages, and other economic damages

Additionally, you can demand compensation for your pain and suffering damages. These non-economic damages also include reduced quality of life, emotional distress, and permanent impairments.

The amount you receive depends on the facts of your case. The strength of your evidence, the severity of your injuries, and the insurance policy limits are some factors that impact car accident settlements

Whether you hire an experienced St. Petersburg car accident lawyer can also be a factor. If you do not understand Florida insurance laws, personal injury laws, and damage claims, you could receive much less than your car accident case is worth

Contact the St. Petersburg Car Accident Lawyers At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for Help

For more information, please contact the Clearwater and St. Petersburg car accident law firm of Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We serve in Pinellas County and its surrounding areas:

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater
1875 N Belcher Rd. STE 201,
Clearwater, FL 33765,
United States
24 hours
(727) 796-8282

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg
2560 1st Ave S,
St. Petersburg, FL 33712,
United States
24 hours
(727) 349-1728