Tampa Airbag Lawyer
Airbags are a safety device intended to save lives in the event of a car accident. Ideally, an airbag inflates and cushions a car or truck occupant during a crash. Federal law requires front airbags, and today most manufacturers also install side airbags as a standard option.
While airbags have proven successful in reducing serious or fatal injuries in car accidents, they are far from perfect. In recent years, millions of dangerous and defective airbags have been recalled from the market due to problems with the bags exploding or failing to deploy. If you, or someone in your family, has been injured by such airbags, you have the right to take legal action. The Tampa airbag lawyer at Anderson & Anderson can represent you in filing a product liability claim against the companies responsible for installing a defective or improperly functioning airbag. You should not have to pay because of their negligence.
Why Do Airbags Fail in Tampa Car Accidents?
Like any mechanical device, an airbag can fail to deploy–or deploy incorrectly–due to a number of possible defects in the design or manufacturing process. Some of the more common airbag accident scenarios that we see at Anderson & Anderson include:
- The airbag’s sensor malfunction, which means the airbag either fails to deploy when there is a crash or deploys at the wrong time and causes injury.
- The canister that contains the airbag’s propellant explodes or shatters, sending flying shrapnel into the vehicle’s occupants.
- The gasses used to inflate the airbag causes or exacerbates a passenger’s respiratory issues.
The most common types of airbag injuries that we see are facial injuries, particularly eye trauma, as well as burns to the chest, arms, and legs. In the most severe cases, an exploding airbag can cause internal bleeding, organ damage, and even death. Keep in mind, it only takes a small fraction of a second for an airbag to deploy. This magnifies the impact of any potential defect in the airbag mechanism or its sensor.
Contact Anderson & Anderson Today
When someone is injured due to a defective or exploding airbag, there are a number of parties who may be liable for monetary damages to the victim or their family. This includes the company that manufactured the airbag itself, the company that produced the vehicle that used the airbag, and even individuals and businesses responsible for inspecting and maintaining the vehicle. Under Florida’s product liability laws, all of these parties can be held strictly liable for a defective airbag. In other words, you do not have to prove anyone was negligent. Rather, you only need to show the airbag was defective when it passed through the defendant’s control.
Due to the often catastrophic nature of the injuries sustained in an airbag accident, victims and their families may be entitled to significant compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, among other damages. Our qualified Tampa airbag lawyers can review your case and provide more specific legal advice tailored to your situation. Call Anderson & Anderson today at 813-251-0072 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.
