A properly functioning airbag is a great safety tool for Missouri drivers and their passengers when working along with a seat belt. But airbags can become dangerous when a defect causes a malfunction. The same holds for those that fail to deploy. The automaker or airbag manufacturer may become liable for these injuries in some cases.
Defective airbag causes
Determining the cause of a defect will take priority when a defective airbag contributes to injuries. The first questions will likely seek to establish whether problems happened during the design or assembly processes. Accident investigators will also check to see if installation problems are the source of the defect.
Why airbags fail to deploy
Airbags cushion the impact of collisions for drivers involved in accidents. Sensors inside the car send signals to the car’s central computer when the impact of a collision is sufficient to trigger airbag deployment. Several problems can disrupt this process:
- Crash sensor malfunction
- Electrical problems
- Problems with airbag modules
- Airbag damaged in previous collision
Determining responsibility
Most drivers know that an accident with another motorist can mean the at-fault driver is responsible for damages. But not as many people know it is possible to pursue compensation claims against vehicle and airbag manufacturers.
Manufacturers can become liable whenever their products lead to a user’s injuries. Three types of liability claims are possible when an airbag is responsible for a personal injury.
A design defect claim happens when an accident victim argues a product design makes the product dangerous to consumers. Accident victims that make this claim will try to show that the product is unsafe for all users.
When the manufacturing process contributes to an injury, the accident victim can seek a remedy through a manufacturing defect claim. It is not necessary to show a defect with all product units. The accident victim only needs to show the airbag in his or her car was defective.
The final claim type is a failure to warn. This claim includes the argument that a manufacturer failed to warn a customer that the use of a product for its intended purpose could pose an accident risk.
The risk of injury is present each time a motorist leaves their home in a car. A personal injury attorney may help injured motorists secure the compensation they need to fuel their recovery following an accident.
