Rochester, New York, Airbag Injury Car Accident Lawyers

Jed Dietrich, Esq., recognized as a Best Lawyer of America, Will Fight Uncompromisingly to Demand the Maximum Damages for Car Accident Airbag Injury Victims in Rochester, New York.

Airbags, after all, are unavoidable—and for a good reason. The federal government has made frontal airbags mandatory in all passenger cars manufactured after 1998. Since then, airbags have been estimated to have saved the lives of nearly 50,000 people across the United States. While a properly designed airbag can save lives, a faulty deployment has the potential to seriously injure motorists and passengers. Since airbags are supposed to deploy rapidly in the immediate aftermath of a crash, they can inflate with explosive force, expanding at speeds of 200 miles per hour. But if an airbag system is not perfectly configured, it can not only cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle but can contribute to critical injuries, too.

If you, or a loved one, have been hurt by an airbag that inflated too soon, or not at all, you should not have to bear the costs of recovery by yourself. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent years representing injured Rochester residents. We have helped our clients obtain over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Please call us at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.

Although modern automobiles incorporate more technology than ever in their designs, airbags remain relatively simple devices. Usually made from a light fabric, airbags are triggered by crash sensors built into the front or sides of a vehicle. When these sensors register a significant impact, they automatically release chemical agents—typically nitrogen or argon—into the airbag, making it rapidly inflate. 

Crash sensors instruct airbags to inflate whenever a vehicle is involved in a serious crash. In most cases, the sensor will tell the airbag to deploy if an automobile sustains a head-on impact at speeds above 8 to 10 miles per hour. While airbag failures can happen for many reasons, the most common culprit is the crash sensor itself. A faulty crash sensor can:

1. Malfunction: A crash sensor might register a collision when none has taken place, inflating the airbag when a driver is operating their vehicle under otherwise normal conditions.
2. Fail: The crash sensor might not register a collision even after one has taken place, leaving the driver’s head, neck, and upper body to the mercy of momentum.
3. Misfire: One or more airbags might deploy after an accident, while others may not inflate due to poor design or other technical faults.
4. Delay: Airbags are supposed to be motorists’ first line of defense against high-speed, high-force collisions. A driver may not be afforded maximal protection if an airbag inflates even a fraction of a second too late.

Since most motorists do not have any time to prepare for a crash, any delay or fault in the airbag’s inflation mechanism can lead to serious injury.

A faulty or malfunctioning crash sensor can not only cause injury but aggravate other harms resultant from a Rochester, New York, car crash. Even though airbags can save lives, their deployment is almost always dangerous. Airbags can cause:

1. Deployment-Related Injuries: An airbag can inflate in 1/20th of a second at speeds approaching or exceeding 200 miles per hour. The speed of inflation can cause friction and force-related injuries, such as burns, abrasions, and minor lacerations.
2. Chemical Injuries: Airbags are inflated by rapidly expanding chemical agents, like nitrogen and argon. The chemicals released by an airbag deployment can irritate a driver’s eyes, nose, and throat and may even enter the lungs.
3. Severe Eye, Head, and Neck Injuries: The force of a collision, coupled with the force of an airbag deployment, can damage organs, soft tissue, and bones in the occupant’s upper body.

If you, or a loved one, suffered injuries because of a bad airbag or airbag sensor, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. can help you claim recompense for your damages. Our highly experienced legal team will analyze all the available evidence to determine who should be held liable for your injuries. Call us at 585-939-3939 to find out how we can assist you.

Depending on the nature and circumstances of your airbag injury, we may be able to name multiple defendants in a civil action, such as:

1. Another Motorist: New York allows anyone hurt in a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against another motorist if that motorist’s negligence caused the injuries.
2. An Automobile Company: We may be able to hold an automobile company to account if they failed to issue a timely recall notice for any defects that contributed to an airbag malfunction or if their vehicle’s design enhanced the dangers of airbag deployment.
3. An Airbag Manufacturer: If the airbag’s manufacturer created an inherently dangerous product, they could be liable for your injuries.

While naming multiple defendants in a Rochester personal injury claim increases your chances of making a substantial recovery, you need to act fast: New York has laws restricting how long accident victims can wait to file a claim. Do not delay, and do not let justice pass you by. Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., at 585-939-3939 to schedule your no-cost, no-obligation consultation today.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 585-939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Rochester, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!