Airbags have been a huge safety innovation for automobiles. Airbags can also cause serious injuries. Recently, automobile manufacturers recalled millions of vehicles that were equipped with Takata airbags, which were prone to explode and send shrapnel flying through the vehicle.
Even when airbags perform correctly, they can harm passengers, particularly smaller ones. Although these injuries are rare, they can be serious, and in some cases can be more serious than any injuries that would have occurred in an accident had the airbags not deployed.
Airbags deploy when a crash occurs because an electronic signal tells them to deploy. A chemical reaction occurs that inflates the bags with gas at very high speeds. In some cases, the bags can deploy in accidents that occur at low speeds. The rapid deployment of the airbags can cause serious injuries if a passenger or driver is hit hard enough by it.
It’s common for burns to occur in an airbag deployment. The burns could be chemical burns (caused by contact with the chemical that is released) or abrasion (caused when an individual hits the airbag) burns. Other burns can be caused by the high temperatures reached by the gases.
If you have suffered injuries from an airbag, call me, California personal injury attorney Conal Doyle of Doyle Law at 310-385-0567. You may be entitled to compensation from the other driver involved in the accident, the vehicle manufacturer, or another party. Call today to learn more.