Indianapolis Airbag Defects Lawyers
Since airbags have become a standard safety feature in motor vehicles, experts estimate that over 10,000 lives have been saved. Airbags are an undeniably important vehicle safety feature, and they do a lot to limit the injuries that a motor vehicle collision can cause.
Nevertheless, despite all their good, airbags can be incredibly dangerous when installed improperly or when they malfunction. Airbags are designed to inflate at rates up to 320 km/h. At these speeds and at such great force, a vehicle driver or passenger has virtually no time to respond if an airbag deploys unnecessarily or improperly.
Designed to be a life-saving feature, airbags themselves are capable of causing serious injury or even death. The airbag defect attorneys at Hankey Marks & Crider are here to work with you if you or someone you know has been the victim of a defective or faulty airbag.
How Airbags Work
An airbag deploys at the point of impact, with the intention of preventing the occupant from colliding with the interior of the vehicle. The deceleration sensor makes the balloon in the steering wheel or other compartment rapidly become inflated during the first few seconds of the accident and then later becomes deflated.
In cases where the deceleration sensor is set too insensitive, the airbag may never deploy on a low-impact crash. Of course, if the airbag is set too sensitive, deployment may occur at the slightest hit such as during a speed bump.
Airbag timing is also set to inflate to the maximum capacity just as the occupant collides with it. If the timing is delayed or expedited, the occupant will collide with either the vehicle interior or the deflated airbag.
Airbag Dangers
There are several situations in which airbags can stop being a valuable safety feature and can become a dangerous hazard. Some of the most frequent causes of airbag injuries and death occur in cases of:
- Accidental deployment—either due to an electrical malfunction or a faulty sensor, airbags can occasionally deploy without a collision taking place. When this happens, vehicle drivers and passengers are at risk for serious head injuries, lacerations, and broken bones.
- Failure to deploy / late deployment—in the event that an airbag doesn’t inflate in time, or at all, vehicle occupants can experience deadly collision injuries as they have been deprived of the cushioning safety of an airbag.
- The gas in the airbag does not filter properly and leaks dangerous chemicals which can cause serious burn injuries.
Injuries resulting from airbag malfunctions are incredibly dangerous. If you have suffered any type of injury because of a defective airbag, you need to speak with a legal professional as quickly as possible to make sure you have the best chance of getting the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
The Indianapolis airbag defect attorneys at Hankey Marks & Crider will do everything possible to make sure you receive the best possible outcome from your airbag injury lawsuit.
Common Injuries Resulting from Defective Airbags
Head and neck trauma are very likely to occur during an airbag malfunction. Many reports include brain injury and skull fracture. Injuries to the abdomen and chest can occur after the collision, many times resulting in rib fractures or spinal damage. Additionally, dislocation and fracture to upper and lower limbs can result from an accident.
Contact Us
When defective products of any kind cause injury to the general public, legal action must be taken against the designers and manufacturers of these products. Not only is it important to secure compensation for accident victims, but it is equally important to make these defects publicly known so that they can be properly attended to and fixed.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a defective or faulty airbag, contact the Indianapolis airbag defect attorneys at Hankey Marks & Crider today at (317) 634-8565.