As drivers and passengers, we place our trust in the protective capabilities of our airbags. However, the unfortunate reality is that faulty airbags cause serious, long-lasting injuries. When airbags fail to deploy correctly, victims can suffer eye, face, and chest injuries.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a faulty airbag accident in New Mexico, there is hope. You may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at Hunt Law Firm will not only answer your questions but also provide you with a clear understanding of your legal options for pursuing compensation for your injuries. We have the necessary experience and knowledge of New Mexico laws to fight for the most compensation possible in your case, offering you reassurance in a difficult time.
Airbags Should Protect Drivers and Passengers from Injuries
We usually associate airbags with dramatic, high-speed car accidents. However, they can also deploy in milder accidents like fender benders. Generally, side airbags deploy more quickly than front airbags because passengers’ heads are closer to the sides of vehicles.
Front airbags are the main line of defense in an accident, but if a person sits too close to the wheel, they can become unnecessarily injured. Airbags deploy when the vehicle’s computer sends a signal to the airbag system. The airbags should fill with a non-hazardous gas and start to inflate.
Common Causes of Faulty Airbag Injuries in New Mexico
Airbag injuries occur when faulty airbags don’t deploy properly. In some cases, a manufacturing defect has occurred, such as a faulty electrical system, defective sensors, or modules. These defects can prevent an airbag from deploying during a car accident. They can also cause an airbag to deploy at the wrong time, such as when a driver is driving normally. The startling aspect of an airbag going off suddenly can cause the driver to swerve off the road or into other drivers.
When a vehicle is dangerously designed with the airbags too close to the driver and passengers, victims can face serious injuries. Drivers should be at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel. When an airbag is too close, the force of the airbag deployment can cause serious or even fatal injuries.
Defective crash sensors cause the majority of airbag injuries. Faulty sensors can cause an airbag to fail to deploy entirely during a crash. Without an airbag, a victim’s head, neck, and face can slam forcefully into the steering wheel or dashboard, causing bone fractures, brain injuries, and other serious injuries. Defects can also result in only one airbag being deployed or the airbag being deployed too late to help the victim.
Defective Airbags Can Cause Serious Injuries
When airbags malfunction, the driver and passenger can suffer serious, life-changing injuries. Due to the speed and force behind the deploying airbag, any part of the body the airbag contacts can suffer burns and abrasions. A person’s eyes can become seriously injured when a defective airbag comes into contact with their face. They can suffer cuts, bruises, and even vision damage from the airbag’s impact, underlining the seriousness and urgency of the situation.
When airbags release chemicals, victims can suffer asthma attacks and lung irritation from chemicals released by the deploying airbag. Finally, victims can suffer soft tissue injuries and broken bones to their chest, face, neck, and arms due to the impact. These injuries can cause a loss of vision, mobility and extensive pain. Affected individuals may be unable to return to work and need extensive medical attention and rehabilitation.
Holding Airbag Manufacturers Liable
To recover compensation through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit requires proving liability. Under New Mexico product liability laws, injured victims have the right to pursue compensation from a negligent manufacturer or retailer of faulty airbags for their injuries. If the original airbag was replaced, you may be able to pursue compensation from the party responsible for replacing it.
In this type of product liability case, you and your attorney must provide evidence proving a manufacturing error or design defect related to the airbag. You’ll also need to prove the defective airbag caused your injuries. Hiring an attorney as soon as possible will help you prove your case.
Holding Negligent Parties Responsible for Faulty Airbag Injuries
The personal injury practice group at Hunt Law Firm is well-versed in holding negligent parties accountable for faulty airbag injuries. We have the experience, resources, and professional network needed to investigate your case thoroughly and gather evidence. Our process includes a careful examination of the airbag and its potentially dangerous parts, as well as an investigation of the vehicle’s computer. We regularly work with experts to identify the cause of the accident, ensuring we can hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries.
Compensation for Victims of Faulty Airbags in New Mexico
Victims of faulty airbags can pursue economic and non-economic damages caused by their injuries. Economic damages are easy to quantify, including current and future medical expenses, lost income and benefits, and loss of employment or employment opportunities due to disability. Victims can also recover compensation for scarring or disfigurement, pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life.
At Hunt Law Firm, we work with medical and financial experts to carefully estimate the damages our clients will incur because of their injuries. If you’ve lost a loved one due to fatal injuries caused by a faulty airbag, you may be able to recover compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact an Airbag Injury Attorney in New Mexico
Contact Hunt Law Firm if you have any questions about pursuing compensation after being injured by faulty airbags. Our trial-ready personal injury attorneys have a proven track record of recovering compensation for victims of dangerous or defective products. We know how to hold manufacturers accountable when their products cause injuries. Our clients are not required to pay for legal representation until we recover compensation for them. We represent clients in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico.
Hunt Law represents car accident victims in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Raton, Roswell, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Las Vegas, and throughout the state of New Mexico.