Airbags are primarily designed to reduce the risk of fatalities in the event of a motor vehicle accident. This is normally achieved by cushioning the driver or passenger from impact from the steering wheel or dashboard during a frontal collision. Unfortunately, a number of injuries, such as airbag burns, can be sustained during a crash as a result of airbag deployment.
Most people know about the common injuries sustained when you come into contact with airbags as they deploy. But, airbag injuries can also be accompanied by high-temperature chemical burns. The chemicals in airbags, including sodium hydroxide, are responsible for such injuries.
If not vented or filtered adequately, the hot gas can harm individuals in a number of ways, including injuries associated with inhalation of hot gasses, chemical skin burns, indirect burns from items that have melted, like clothing, and so forth. Parts of the body susceptible to these kinds of injuries include exposed body parts like the face, chest, eyes, and neck, among others.
Legal Recourses For A Chemical Burn Claim Associated With An Airbag
Legal action may be warranted as a result of injuries sustained from an airbag. The usual remedy in such cases is the award of monetary damages. A variety of expenses can be considered in such cases, including medical and hospital bills, expenses associated with suffering and pain occasioned by the injuries, property damage costs, and any lost wages due to missed work during the recovery period, among others.
Who Can Be Held Responsible For Airbag-Related Chemical Burn Injuries?
Due to their complicated nature, airbag injuries can lead to many parties being held responsible. Usually, if another vehicle caused the accident, that driver's auto insurance company will include compensation for the airbag injuries in the settlement we achieve. However, in some cases, the maker of the airbag may be held accountable for the injuries attributed to their airbags. For example, manufacturers may be held responsible if the risk of chemical burns is elevated by flaws in the airbag – like an ineffective venting mechanism.
Other individuals, like mechanics, can also be held accountable for airbag chemical burn injuries. This may occur when the chemical burn injury is attributed to a mechanic’s careless conduct when repairing a motor vehicle’s airbag.
Contact Faneuf Law Group For A Free Consultation. Our office does not get paid out of your pocket. Rather, we only get compensated if we successfully resolve your case.
Please call the Faneuf Law Group at 617-939-9894 or fill in the online form to talk to a member of their team, if you have concerns about your airbag injury or need legal advice on a potential claim.