Airbag Injuries in a Car Accident

Airbag Injuries in a Car Accident

By Pyle Law, Reviewed by E. Thomas Pyle July 26 2022 10:13 pm

Yes, airbags are put in our cars, trucks, and SUVs to protect us. But, sometimes, these safety devices can be the actual cause of injuries after a car accident.

That being said, let’s take a look at some statistics about airbag injuries, then at some common ones that can occur that many people may not be aware of. If you suffered airbag-related injuries, speak with an experienced car accident lawyer in Kansas today. 

Understand how crash forces impact the body: Read The Three Stages of a Collision in a Car Crash to learn how vehicle, human, and internal collisions cause severe injuries in an accident.

Airbag Injury Statistics

Depending on the size and age of an individual (as well as if an airbag works properly), there are many instances where these devices can actually hurt a person. For example:

• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety did research on different kinds of airbags and how they could potentially injure a rider. They noted that elderly drivers who position their seats closer to the wheel could be hurt by the impact of an airbag and also that there have been documented cases of side airbags injuring riders. Still, these instances didn’t cause injuries nearly as many times as faulty airbags, ones that either deployed too late or that had defective parts.
• One study found that airbags have actually been known to cause hearing loss. The research discovered that this could happen in smaller cars more than in larger vehicles and that the injury is the result of the loud noise that an airbag makes when it fires out. 
• Airbags have been known to cause eye trauma and even blindness in a few cases. This is because of the way the airbag comes out so forcefully toward an occupant’s face, and many folks have also suffered from hand and finger injuries as a result of this rapid, powerful inflation.
• Crash sensors also have a lot to do with airbags deploying when they are not needed. For example, a late or unnecessarily deploying airbag can cause serious injuries that your car accident attorney can and will assist you in retrieving compensation for. 

Common Kinds of Airbag Injuries

Skin Burns. The way that airbags come out so forcefully can cause burns to the skin. These are caused by friction (sort of like rug burns), and after an accident they usually appear in places like the face and arms. 

Facial Fractures. Our faces have lots of small bones, and airbags can easily rupture them when they strongly pop out. Airbags have also been the cause of many concussions in car crashes, and sometimes internal injuries to the head don’t show up until a while after the accident. 

Sternum Injuries. This is the place on your body that houses large organs such as your esophagus and your heart. And, when an airbag ejects with so much force, the sternum (which is also referred to as the breastbone) is one of the main areas of the anatomy that can be injured, resulting in serious medical issues such as internal bleeding and/or bruising. 

Contact Your Kansas Car Accident Lawyer                             

If you feel that you have been hurt by an airbag in an accident, contact our knowledgeable car accident attorneys at Pyle Law. We’ll do a thorough investigation and find out whether or not the airbag did, in fact, have something to do with your current injuries.