Airbags in combination with seatbelts unquestionably save lives, with at least 50,000 documented cases of life-saving frontal airbag deployment over a 30-year span. However, airbags also forcefully inflate in less than 1/20th of a second with a speed equalling about 200 miles per hour and with an impact force of about 2,600 pounds. Because of the extreme force of airbag deployment in an accident, the airbag itself can cause injuries. In some cases, inaccurate calibration increases the speed and force, heightening the risk of serious injuries like concussions and other traumatic brain injuries – issues that may require investigation by a skilled car accident lawyer in St. Louis to determine liability.
How Do Airbags Deploy During Accidents?
An airbag must be carefully calibrated to deploy only when sensors detect a forceful collision. The bag deploys instantly to serve as a barrier between the motorist and the steering wheel or dashboard. Side impact airbags have become increasingly common in newer vehicles and deploy even faster due to the thinner build of a car’s side. Airbags should not deploy due to a minor fender bender or when a car hits a pothole. If this occurs, it’s because the airbag was not calibrated correctly. When functioning appropriately, the airbag should only inflate during a moderate to severe collision when sensors signal an igniter inside the airbag, which ignites and fills the bag instantly with harmless nitrogen gas. The airbag then deflates through tiny holes, allowing the injury victim space to move. Unfortunately, the powerful inflation of an airbag can cause substantial injuries to a motorist’s head and upper body, especially when they are too close to the airbag during deployment. For example, when a seatbelt doesn’t lock into place correctly or when the airbag’s calibration isn’t correct, causing over-inflation.
How Do Airbags Cause Concussions?
Airbag deployment can cause blunt-force trauma to the head. Often, this occurs to both the front and back of the head as first the airbag deploys against the motorist’s head at 200 miles per hour, forcing the head back where it hits the seat cushion. The rapid back-and-forth motion causes the brain to bump against the bony inside of the skull, sometimes resulting in a concussion. Concussions from airbags can range from mild to severe. As the concussion damages brain cells, the injury victim begins to experience symptoms.
What Are the Signs of a Concussion From an Airbag?
When an airbag deploys forcefully enough to cause a concussion, there may be other injuries, such as facial injuries, including a broken nose or bruising. In the minutes and hours after the accident, the following signs of a concussion may appear:
- Headache
- Feeling of pressure in the head
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Visual changes
- Sensitivity to light
- Ringing in the ears
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Changes in mood or personality
- Sleep disturbances
A concussion victim may lose consciousness for a few moments after the accident. If they lose consciousness for more than a few minutes, it could be a sign of a more severe brain injury. Concussions are medical emergencies. It’s critical to go to an emergency room after an accident that occurs with sufficient force to deploy an airbag, particularly if the airbag causes any sign of head injury.
Liability In Airbag Injury Cases
Airbags are not meant to cause concussions or other serious injuries, yet they sometimes result in head injuries and upper body injuries to the clavicle, chest, ribs, and respiratory system, as well as facial and dental injuries. When an airbag causes injury, it typically means that it wasn’t calibrated correctly or that the seatbelt malfunctioned, allowing a motorist to come too close to the airbag during deployment. An experienced car accident attorney conducts an investigation in airbag injury cases and consults with experts to determine the cause of the airbag concussion and pinpoint the liable party. An airbag concussion injury claim holds the airbag manufacturer or installation company liable for injury-related expenses, like medical costs and lost wages. Contact Miller & Hine for a free consultation with a St. Louis brain injury attorney.