Airbag Injuries in Chicago Car Accidents

By Matthew Willens  Sep. 9, 2015 3:34p

While airbags are a safety feature, in some car accidents they may cause serious injuries to a vehicle's occupants.

Vehicle safety equipment, such as airbags, generally help prevent severe injuries during an auto accident. In fact, airbags have not only helped save thousands of lives, seatbelts and airbags have also helped reduce the number of head injuries by 81 percent and the number of chest injuries by 66 percent, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Made of flexible fabric materials, an airbag is a useful vehicle safety device designed to inflate automatically when an accident occurs. In this way, airbags protect drivers and passengers from the impact of the collision. Most newer vehicles come equipped with a number of airbags in different parts of the vehicle in order to ensure safety of the passengers in as many ways as possible. Unfortunately, in some cases, the airbag itself may cause injuries to the car’s occupants.

Statistics about Airbags

Airbags are quite effective as a safety device. But, in some cases, negligence from the part of occupants or manufacturing defects may result in serious injuries or even death due to airbags. Let’s take a look at some statistics.

• Nearly 50 vehicle manufacturing companies have had to pull out at least one car model due to faulty airbags.
• Around 53 adults and 31 kids were killed in auto accidents due to airbags in 1997, says the NHTSA.
• There are around 3.3 million airbags installed in worldwide vehicles.
• From 1990 to 2008 airbags helped prevent 6,377 deaths due to auto accidents, according to the NHTSA.
• Children in rear-facing safety seats suffered maximum injuries due to defective airbags
• According to the NHTSA, airbags accounted for around 175 fatalities in the period between 1990 and 2008. Most of these fatalities were children.

The above statistics show that airbags helps prevent many severe injuries and even deaths during auto accidents.

Common Airbag Injuries

Defective airbags or improper use of airbags may cause some severe injuries and even death. Some common types of injuries caused by airbags include broken bones, corneal abrasions, asthma attacks, brain injuries, burns, chest injuries, bruises, dental injuries, concussions, dislocated joints, lacerations, ear injuries, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, and facial injuries.

Irrespective of the type of injuries you suffer during an auto accident, it is important seek treatment immediately. In some cases, there may be internal or invisible injuries and only an experienced doctor would be able to identify the symptoms of such injuries. Some severe injuries may require an immediate surgery. Also, medical reports might be necessary when it comes to proving to the court that you actually suffered an injury severe enough to establish grounds for a compensation claim.

Some Useful Safety Tips

You should take some precautions to lower the risk of airbag injuries. For instance, wearing a seatbelt is extremely important. You should also encourage your kids to sit in the backseats, keep a distance of at least 10 inches between you and the airbag, and tilt the steering wheel. These simple steps can go a long way to help you avoid airbag related accidents.

If your airbag injuries have been caused by malfunctioning seatbelt or airbag you can likely file a claim against the manufacturer. Speak to an experienced Willens Law auto accident lawyer to find the best legal recourse. Call (312) 957-4166 today for a free and private consultation.