Invented over 50 years ago, airbags have been mandatory in all new cars sold in the U.S. since 1998. Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started keeping airbag statistics, the agency estimates that airbags have saved over 50,000 lives in car accidents.
However, not all the news is good. Airbags can injure or even kill drivers and passengers under the wrong circumstances. Battle Born Injury Lawyers can evaluate your options for pursuing compensation if you suffer airbag injuries in Las Vegas, NV.
Contact our law office at (702) 570-9000 for a free case review to learn more.
How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help You With an Airbag Injury Claim in Las Vegas, NV
Battle Born Injury Lawyers was founded in 2010 to represent injured clients in Las Vegas, Nevada, against at-fault parties and the companies that insure them. Over the past 14 years, our Las Vegas car accident lawyers have recovered over $100 million for the firm’s clients.
If you get injured by someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions, our attorneys will provide the following services:
- Review your situation and explain your options for pursuing compensation
- Gather evidence supporting your case
- File your insurance claim and negotiate for a fair settlement
- Litigate against insurers and at-fault parties that refuse to settle
Airbags can cause injuries ranging from eye irritation to fatal spinal cord damage. Contact our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the compensation you can seek for your injuries.
How Serious Is the Risk of Airbag Injuries To Crash Victims?
Nevada does not publish statistics about the number of injuries caused by airbags. But you can use a national study conducted by the NHTSA to extrapolate the risk posed by airbags to Nevada crash victims.
In 2007, the NHTSA published a report that counted all fatal and serious injuries caused by airbags since 1990.
Over those 18 years, the NHTSA compiled the following statistics:
- 19,872 deployments of driver airbags without fatal or serious injuries
- 91 deployments of driver airbags with fatal injuries
- 7 deployments of driver airbags with life-threatening injuries
From these numbers, you can calculate that 99.5% of driver airbag deployments happen without causing fatal or serious injuries.
However, passengers fared less well. The statistics reported by the NHTSA include the following:
- 4,462 deployments of passenger airbags without fatal or serious injuries
- 185 deployments of passenger airbags with fatal injuries
- 46 deployments of passenger airbags with life-threatening injuries
According to these statistics, 95.1% of passenger airbag deployments occur without causing a fatal or serious injury.
From these numbers, you can infer that most Nevada crashes involving airbag deployments will protect, not endanger, the front seat occupants. In rare cases, the airbag will cause or worsen their injuries.
Causes and Effects of Airbag Injuries
Airbags have three components. The sensor detects rapid deceleration that happens in a frontal collision. This deceleration occurs when the front of your car hits something. A head-on collision will set off the sensor. A rear-end crash or side-impact collision would also produce the necessary deceleration if the front of your vehicle hit the other vehicle.
The sensor triggers an inflator. This device contains two chemicals that rapidly produce a large volume of gas when mixed. This gas flows into the airbag, causing it to burst from its housing.
The bag contains vents that prevent it from bursting when you hit it. Instead, the bag catches you and slows your motion as it deflates.
This process can go wrong. Some common causes of airbag injuries include the following:
Small Stature Passengers
Front seat occupants shorter than 4’11” tall have a high risk of airbag injuries. This happens for two reasons. First, shorter people tend to sit closer to the dashboard. Airbags need at least ten inches to safely deploy. When they do not have enough space, the occupant can strike the airbag while it is still inflating. The force of inflation can injure them.
Second, airbags are designed to catch the upper chest and face of an average adult. However, children or shorter adults hit an airbag with their heads only. The force stresses the neck, potentially causing death or a permanent spinal cord injury.
Children in Rear-Facing Car Seats
Children in rear-facing car seats should never ride in the front seat with an active airbag. The inflating airbag can flip the car seat, crushing or ejecting the child. If your infant must ride in the front seat, you should use the manual shutoff switch to disable the airbag.
Defective Inflators
Defective inflators from a company called Takata were installed in tens of millions of vehicles. These inflators can cause airbags to inflate with too much force, spraying the occupant with shrapnel from the inflator and housing. These defective products have caused 26 deaths and over 400 injuries in the U.S.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Las Vegas Airbag Injury Lawyers
An airbag can injure the face, head, or neck, leading to significant disabilities or even death. Contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the financial compensation you can recover for your airbag injuries under Nevada law.
