Modern motor vehicles have many safety features to help protect drivers and passengers in the event of an auto accident. However, though these safety features are meant to prevent injury, they are not always successful and on some occasions, have cause injury themselves. One example of such a feature is airbags. If you are in a car accident and have been injured, a Haralson auto accident attorney can help you recover for all of your injuries, including injuries from your own car's airbags.
For decades, airbags have aimed to provide additional motor vehicle safety. Front airbags are meant to keep occupants from hitting the windshield or dashboard in a collision, and side airbags are meant to keep occupants inside a vehicle and protect them in case of a rollover accident.
Though advertisers often represent airbags a soft, pillowy cushions, in reality there is nothing gentle about airbags deployment. Airbags deploy instantaneously, often before drivers or passengers can even comprehend they have been in an accident, and can release at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Airbags that properly function regularly cause injuries, such as fractured bones, burns or abrasions on the skin (usually on the arms and face), and more severe facial injuries, especially if the person is wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses. However, these injuries are considered relatively minor compared to slamming your head against the dash, windshield, or steering wheel, which can cause traumatic brain injury, or to being ejected from the car, which is usually fatal.
Malfunctioning airbags can cause a much higher risk to motor vehicle occupants. In a recent recall, metal objects were flying from airbags at high speeds, potentially causing serious injury or even death. If you are injured by a properly functioning airbag, you may be able to hold the other driver responsible for those injuries. However, if you are injured by a malfunctioning airbags, you likely have claims against the manufacturer, as well as the other driver, among others. If you are in an auto accident and have suffered injuries of any kind, contact a Coweta County auto accident attorney to discuss and evaluate your case. Call Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656 for help today.