Airbags are designed to deploy during a crash or collision and provide an extra layer of protection for the occupants in the vehicle. They inflate quickly and cushion the impact of the occupant with the interior of the car, helping to reduce serious and life-threatening injuries.

Although airbags are meant to protect drivers and passengers in the event of an accident, sometimes the opposite occurs and an airbag is the cause of an injury. While airbags can save lives, they can also cause abrasions, contusions, fractures and lacerations. Additionally, airbags have been known to cause eye injuries, such as hyphemia (bleeding in the front of the eye). In rare cases, airbags may even cause death if deployed too close to a person's head or neck area.

If you’ve been in a car accident and have suffered injuries from an airbag deployment, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. If you wore a seatbelt at the time of the accident and you suspect the airbag was faulty, consider consulting a car crash personal injury attorney to determine any potential legal remedies that may be available to you.

One of the things that makes HURT911 unique is our partnership with local Atlanta personal injury attorneys. We know how to gather medical evidence based on your injuries and can even connect you with a lawyer if you need help with an airbag injury claim.

How Do Airbags Work?

Airbags work by deploying an inflatable cushion designed to absorb the impact of a crash and reduce injuries. Inside an airbag is an explosive charge, which ignites when sensors detect a rapid deceleration or impact. This sets off a chemical reaction that produces nitrogen gas, which quickly fills the bag with enough pressure to cushion the driver or passenger from hitting hard surfaces like dashboards and windows. Airbags are usually mounted on the steering wheel and dashboard, but they can also be found in door panels, side walls and seatbelts.

Common Airbag Injuries

Face Injuries

If your face is too close to an airbag when it deploys, you may suffer facial abrasions or lacerations caused by the rapid expansion of the bag. Additionally, blunt trauma from contact with an inflating airbag can cause fractures to bones surrounding the eyes and nose, as well as concussion-like symptoms such as dizziness and confusion.

In extreme cases, more severe injuries such as eye damage or blindness have been reported following airbag deployment. These injuries are often due to particles released by the bag upon inflation which irritate or penetrate the eyes causing pain and vision problems that could last for months or even years after an accident occurs.

Neck and Back Injuries

Airbags deploy at an extremely high speed, which can lead to blunt force trauma to the head, neck and upper torso when they inflate. This sudden impact can cause whiplash or other soft tissue damage, such as muscle strain or sprain. In some cases, airbag deployment may also result in fractures of the spine or ribs if the driver or passenger was too close to the airbag when it inflated.

Burns

Airbag deployment can also cause serious burns to the people in the vehicle. When the airbag deploys at high speeds, it releases a large amount of hot gas and dust particles into the passenger compartment. This combination of heat and pressure can cause severe burns on skin that comes into contact with the airbag. In severe cases, these burns can be deep enough to require medical attention or even surgery.

The risk of burns increases when improper installation or maintenance of an airbag system occurs. For example, if an incorrect propellant charge is used during installation, it could lead to a higher temperature being produced upon airbag deployment.

How You Can Prevent Airbag Injuries in an Atlanta Car Accident

Although you cannot always prevent airbag injuries (especially if the airbag is defective), there are certain steps you can take to decrease the risk of injury:

• Always wear your seatbelt: Wearing your seat belt is the best way to avoid injury from an airbag deployment. Make sure that you and everyone else in the vehicle have their seat belts on before driving, even if it’s just for a short trip.

• Adjust your seating position: Sitting too close to the steering wheel or dashboard can increase the risk of injury from an airbag deployment due to their high speed upon activation. Make sure that you adjust your seat so that there is enough room between you and those surfaces (at least 10 inches).

• Avoid putting objects on the dashboard: Placing items like cell phones, purses or knickknacks on top of the dashboard increases the chances of them being propelled toward you when an airbag deploys, resulting in potentially serious injury.

• Follow manufacturer guidelines for children/infants: If you have young children or infants on board, make sure they are properly secured according to manufacturer guidelines, as this will help reduce potential injuries caused by deploying airbags during a collision.

Receive Prompt Treatment for Your Airbag Injuries

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury due to an airbag deployment, you can rely on HURT911 for prompt and professional treatment of your injuries.

Our injury centers are strategically located throughout the Atlanta Metro area so you never have to travel far to see us.

We can also help you get you connected with some of Atlanta’s most renowned and accomplished personal injury lawyers if you believe your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence or defective airbags.

To learn more or to schedule your same day appointment, call 1-800-HURT-911.