New Jersey Attorneys Determining Liability for Airbag-Related Accidents in Titusville, Pennington, Hopewell, and throughout Mercer County
Automobile safety measures have increased ten-fold over the past many decades, saving the lives of countless individuals. Still, despite all of the advancements in car safety technology, accidents still happen in New Jersey, and auto part malfunction can fail to prevent or even cause injury when they do.
Airbags are a critical element of all new cars that are designed to help reduce impact and whiplash injury when a collision occurs. Unfortunately, airbags do not always function as they are meant to. Airbag malfunctions are one such area of accident injury law that complicate claims.
If you have been injured in an auto accident that involved the deployment of airbags or their failure to deploy, contact our team at Cohen & Riechelson today to discuss whether you may have a product liability or personal injury claim. When it comes to determining who was responsible in an accident, the two involved parties are not the only ones our skilled personal injury attorneys will look to. We will investigate whether automobile malfunction, including airbag technology, failed to prevent injury or even caused it. If this is the case, the airbag manufacturer, car dealer, or mechanic could be partially at fault for your injury due to product liability law. Read on to learn more about the role of airbag malfunction in New Jersey personal injury and product liability cases.
What Are the Most Frequent Airbag Flaws?
The most common airbag defect is the failure to deploy. The primary purpose of an airbag is to immediately deploy upon strong impact to protect the driver and passenger against collision with the steering wheel and dashboard, as well as to minimize the effects of whiplash. When a car’s airbags do not deploy, the auto’s passengers are at much higher risk for injury.
Another common airbag defect is that, contrary to failing to deploy, the system’s heightened sensitivity causes the airbag to deploy without cause or warning. This can be as or more dangerous than failure to deploy, as unexpected airbag deployment while driving could cause the driver to lose vision, resulting in an accident.
Both the airbag’s failure to deploy and improper deployment due to sensitivity malfunction can be the result of manufacture or maintenance. In some cases, when an airbag is replaced at an auto body shop, the mechanic will use inferior quality materials, lessening the likelihood that the airbag will do its job properly.
Another airbag defect involves the canister that houses it until deployment. If the canister is old or improperly manufactured or designed, when the airbag deploys, it can cause shards of the canister to burst forth, adding to possible injury by causing punctures and lacerations.
Common Injuries Derived From Defective or Malfunctioning Airbags
Multiple injuries can result from defective or malfunctioning airbags. Airbags that fail to deploy and ones that deploy erroneously can result in whiplash, concussion, fractured or broken bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, bruised and broken ribs, and even death. Exploding canisters can result in cuts, punctures, bruises, and nerve damage.
Recovering Damages for Injuries Caused by Defective Airbags in NJ
While most injury cases that involve automobiles focus on the negligence of a driver and therefore fall under personal injury law, an accident that involves an airbag malfunction may include product liability, placing the responsible manufacturer, car dealership, or mechanic at partial fault and responsible for damages caused by your injury accident. A skilled accident injury attorney at Cohen & Riechelson will conduct a thorough investigation of all possible causes of your accident injury and seek damages from all responsible parties. Manufacturers who improperly developed or produced the model, designers whose faulty design resulted in malfunction or injury, car dealerships who failed to remove a recalled series from their saleroom, and mechanics who incorrectly replaced your airbag all may be sued for damages involving your injury.
Contact Experienced Trenton Defective Airbag Injury Lawyers for Assistance with Your Airbag Malfunction Claim
When it comes to automobile accidents, various factors must be taken into account. Our skilled team of lawyers at Cohen & Riechelson is experienced in facilitating the accident injury claim process for clients in Lambertville, Robbinsville, Ewing, Princeton, East Windsor, Lawrence, and throughout Mercer, Burlington, and Middlesex County, because we know the most important thing for you to do at this time is rest and recover. We thoroughly investigate accident scenes, police reports, and vehicle reports, and consult experts to ensure that we have a well-rounded understanding of exactly what happened and all of the responsible parties, so they will be held liable for your injury. You deserve to recover full damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, ongoing treatments, and pain and suffering. Contact a member of our law team today at 609-528-2596 to learn how we can help and receive a free case review.