You get into your car everyday with the expectation that you will arrive at your destination safely. You also expect that should an accident occur, the safety measures inside your car, specifically your airbags, will work to keep you and any passengers safe from increased harm. But what do you do if the airbags fail to deploy after an accident?
When an accident occurs that is serious enough to cause harm, the airbags should deploy to stop a victim from flying through the windshield and experiencing serious injuries or death. When airbags fail to do this, it is often due to a defect. Makers and manufactures of airbags, along with the makers of the cars, are required to ensure that every product they make works efficiently. When their products fail, they should be held liable for any injuries or harm caused by their negligence.
After an accident, there are many steps one should take to ensure they are not only kept safe and out of harms way, but that they can also file a claim and get the compensation they need to return to a normal life. When an accident occurs, you should always remain calm and try to move out of the way of other cars or busy intersections, if possible. If you suffered injuries, make sure an ambulance is called so you can be treated as soon as possible. If you are able, you should also take pictures of the scene, any injuries you see on your body or the body of a passenger and get the information of the other driver or drivers. If your airbag didn’t deploy in addition to the accident, you should also follow these steps:
- Take pictures of the interior of the car to prove that the airbag did not deploy
- Have a medical professional write down all of your injuries and take note of ones that could have been avoided if the airbags worked properly
- Contact an attorney as soon as possible
When airbags do not work properly, there are a few people who can be held responsible. During the creation of an airbag, there are many different stages of design where a defect can take place. Because of this, an attorney will need to determine at what stage the defect occurred and who is responsible for your injuries. The following could be responsible for injuries related to a defective airbag:
- The airbag manufacturer
- Installers, tasked with physically placing the airbag correctly into the vehicle
- The distributor or transport service who may have damaged the airbags during transport or storage
- Testers, tasked with testing the airbags before the vehicle is put on the market to be sold
- The car manufacturer
Determining who is to blame can be tricky, as it can hard to pinpoint exactly where in the process things went wrong. An experienced attorney will be able to look at all the facts and determine who was negligent and who should be held responsible for your injuries.
After a car accident, victims are subject to serious injuries and harm. Without airbags, those injuries can be intensified and lead to lifelong suffering and even death. If you or a loved one was in a car accident where the airbags failed to deploy, contact the attorneys at Stewart and Stewart right away to learn more about how we can help you get the compensation you need and deserve. For more information, give us a call at 1-800-33-33-LAW or visit our website for more information.