Air Bag Defect
Airbags can deploy with more than 1,200 lbs of force at over 230 mph and can seriously injure or even kill an unbuckled child or adult. Airbag malfunctions can cause death, chemical burns, heat burns, lacerations, and traumatic injuries. Many airbag injuries are caused by unnecessary deployment, a failure to deploy when circumstances are appropriate, and airbag malfunctions. Airbag defects are often caused by poor design, lack of tethers, venting and folding defects, and cheap sensors.
Airbag injuries are often caused by the force with which they are deployed. Common deployment injuries include abrasion of the skin, hearing damage from the deployment sound, head injuries, and breaking of the nose, fingers, hands, or arms. Airbags are particularly dangerous for children and short stature adults. Children under 12, particularly infants in child safety seats, should never sit in the front seat of a vehicle with an airbag and rear passenger side airbags should be switched off in vehicles carrying children whenever possible.
Airbags deploy when a moderate or severe crash causes a signal to be sent to the inflator unit within the air bag module. An igniter starts a rapid chemical reaction, generating primarily nitrogen gas to fill and deploy the airbag. Some airbag technologies use compressed nitrogen gas while other technologies use various energetic propellants. Propellants containing sodium azide, a toxic substance, are common in older airbags. After the airbag is deployed, the bag deflates as the gas escapes through vents in the fabric. Deployment is frequently accompanied by the release of dust-like particles in the vehicle's interior. In older cars, small amounts of sodium hydroxide may be present, which can cause irritation to the eyes and/or open wounds. Additionally, some people with asthma may develop an asthmatic attack from inhaling the dust.
If you or a loved one were injured by the deployment of an airbag, you have legal rights. Get a free legal consultation with the air bag defect lawyers of Davis, Bethune & Jones, LLC by calling our firm at 1-800-875-5972 or by filling out the form at the right.
Additional Air Bag Safety Resources
