Fayetteville, AR Attorney for Injuries Caused by a Defective Airbag

Many auto manufacturers have recalled certain models of cars from certain years because of defective airbags.  Other vehicles without official recalls may also have defective airbags that could cause injuries or fail to deploy, allowing injuries that should have been prevented.  If you or a loved one was injured by a defective airbag in a new or used vehicle, talk to Fayetteville, AR defective airbag injury lawyer Ken Kieklak today.

Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law represents injury victims in lawsuits against auto manufacturers and airbag manufacturers, fighting to get them compensation for their injuries.  Especially if a family member was killed because of a defective airbag, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your loss.  Contact our law offices today to discuss your case and schedule a free legal consultation.  Our number is (479) 316-0438.

Causes of Injuries from Defective Airbags

Uncovering a defective airbag in a vehicle is often difficult.  Individual airbags are typically single-use devices, and they cannot easily be tested for effectiveness.  Instead, you usually do not find out that something was wrong with your airbag unless it fails during an accident or the auto manufacturer issues a recall for your car.

Airbags are usually defective in one of two ways: either the airbag causes injuries because of a design or manufacturing defect, or the airbag fails to prevent injuries it should have prevented.  These kinds of defects can both lead to lawsuits.

Exploding Airbag Injuries

Airbags with serious defects may cause injuries when they inflate.  In some cases, injuries may result from the force of the airbag being too strong or burns and injuries from powder and debris inside the airbag.

Some airbags from certain manufacturers have well-known problems where the airbag and surrounding parts break and expel shrapnel when the airbag deploys.  The common defect in these cases is that the inflator’s housing becomes dried and weakened over time, allowing it to fracture into small pieces and explode outward when the airbag deploys.  This metal and plastic shrapnel can cause serious injuries to the face and neck, potentially even causing deadly injuries.

Failure to Deploy

Defects with an airbag’s wiring or problems with the design or manufacturing of the inflator and other parts may prevent an airbag from deploying as it is supposed to.  Some airbags are also designed not to inflate in low-speed accidents, but many of those crashes could also benefit from the airbag’s deployment.

If a design or manufacturing error causes an airbag not to deploy when it should, you could suffer injuries that are worse than they should have been.  The manufacturer of a defective airbag should be held liable for the increased severity of the injuries.  If the airbag could have saved the driver or passenger’s life, the manufacturer could be liable for the loss of life their airbag failed to prevent.

Damages for Defective Airbag Injuries

As mentioned, the manufacturer of a defective airbag is commonly liable for injuries that the defective airbag causes during an explosion as well as the injuries that the airbag should have prevented had it functioned properly.  In some cases, other parties may also be liable for damages.

Auto manufacturers may refuse to issue a recall on models known to have defective airbags.  Even though the airbag’s manufacturer caused the initial problem, the manufacturer’s failure to warn the purchaser could also put them partly at fault.  The same is true of a used car dealership or the used car’s previous owner if they ignored the risks that the car’s airbag might be defective and sold you the car anyway.  Lastly, the driver who causes your injuries might be liable for the crash itself, but the airbag manufacturer would be liable for the increased harm caused by the airbag’s defects.

In any case for damages after personal injury, you may be entitled to damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, and the medical expenses you suffered because of the crash.  While recovering, and even after recovery, you may lose time at work or may have your wages reduced if your injury limits the tasks you can perform at work.  The responsible parties should compensate you for these damages.  You may also face serious pain, discomfort, and mental anguish because of the injuries, which they should also compensate you for.  These pain and suffering damages are separate from the medical bills, which should also be compensated.  Damages for ambulance transportation, surgery, doctor’s visits, rehabilitation, and other medical care should be compensated in full after an avoidable injury.

Our Fayetteville Defective Airbag Injury Lawyer Offers Free Consultations

If you or a loved one suffered harm from a defective or dangerous airbag in Arkansas, contact Fayetteville defective airbag injury lawyer Ken Kieklak.  Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law offers free legal consultations to help you and your family understand what your case might be worth and how the defect contributes to the damages you might be entitled to.  For a free case consultation, call our law offices at (479) 316-0438 today.  Do not hesitate to file your case, as there may be strict deadlines to follow.