Most Common Types Of Defects Resulting In Defective Airbag Lawsuits
Defective airbags can affect the safety of drivers and passengers. Some of the fundamental types of airbag defects are:
- Explosion;
- Deployment failure;
- Deployment at the wrong time;
- Deployment requires too much force;
- Inappropriate deployment;
- Marketing defect;
- Design defect;
- Manufacturing defect;
- Delay in deployment.
In many low-speed car crashes, the driver may sustain severe injuries due to defective airbags. In these cases, there may not be much impact on the front side of the vehicle.
A defective airbag includes any airbag that has a manufacturing defect, design defect, or other defaults that will jeopardize the safety of passengers. We can consider the example of the Takata recall.
When ammonium nitrate was used as the propellant agent in the inflator, a drying agent was not used to absorb moisture. Further, the airbag did not work properly and the outcome was damage and injuries arose for the passengers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), by February 15, 2018, Takata airbags caused the death of nearly 240 people.
What Type Of Injuries Result From Defective Airbags?
Owing to the energy involved in the deployment of an airbag, metal shrapnel can hurt the driver and passengers. Moreover, pieces of metal due to faulty airbags can hurt someone in the face. Catastrophic airbag injuries include:
- Lacerations;
- Contusions;
- Abrasions;
- Bruises;
- Fractures;
- Eye injuries;
- Hearing loss;
- Broken nose;
- Neck injuries;
- Face injuries;
- Injuries to the fetuses of pregnant women;
- Wrongful death in extreme cases.
When you have sustained severe injuries, you may file a defective airbag lawsuit. You may pursue compensation from the manufacturer of the airbag or the automobile for medical bills, cosmetic or reconstructive surgeries, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other expenses.
Is a car manufacturer liable if your airbag fails in Texas?
According to Texas strict product liability law, a car manufacturer will be liable for injuries due to any defect in the car or any product used in the construction of the car, like an airbag.
Sometimes, the stakes may be high if the car accident victim sustains severe airbag injuries. In these cases, it may be a complex task to agree with the defendants upon a faulty airbag lawsuit settlement.
What is the average settlement for airbags not deploying in Texas?
When airbags deploy correctly, they can save lives. However, fatal injuries may occur when an airbag fails to deploy or deploys incorrectly. Every claim must stand on its own merits, including the severity of the injuries, and the role the airbag played in causing those injuries.
Are airbags required in new cars in the United States?
Since 1999, front airbags have been essential in all new passenger vehicles. However, side airbags are not mandatory although all airbag manufacturers try to include them. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), federal law requires all new cars to come equipped with airbags.
Airbags enhance the safety of the occupants of the vehicle by preventing them from hitting the interior of the car or even other vehicles in car accidents. When the crash starts, sensors measure the severity of the crash. Then, inflators fill the airbags with gas within a fraction of a second.
Can an airbag lawsuit be filed if the airbag was not recalled?
The short answer is yes. You can file an airbag lawsuit even if your defective airbag was not recalled. You have a chance to recover compensation for the injuries and damages you suffered from the accident.
Defective Airbags Recall Warning in Texas
According to the National Safety Council, approximately 1.2 million cars on the Texas road been recalled for safety reasons. Nearly 300,000 cars in North Texas have recalled Takata airbags.
Takata is an auto supply company whose airbags have been found defective. The outcome has been deaths and a large number of people sustaining severe injuries. In the year 2017, Takata filed for bankruptcy owing to lawsuits involving faulty airbags.
In Texas, owing to the Gulf Coast, there is a lot of humidity and high heat which can degrade airbag inflators.
Get a legal expert’s help if your airbag didn’t deploy in an accident
Before you discuss your accident case with anyone else, you need to discuss it with a product liability lawyer. An attorney will advise you on the merits of your case and will intervene with manufacturers, their liability carriers and claim investigators and seek to help you in every way. Review your legal options by contacting us today.