Although air bags are intended as a security device, government documentation confirms they have killed hundreds of citizen and caused valuable trauma, such as head injuries, traumatic brain injuries (Tbi), paralysis, face injuries, eye injuries, blindness, neck injuries, vertebral fractures, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, chest injuries, heart injuries, internal injuries, bone fractures, and even death.
You may not comprehend it, but air bags deploy at speeds sometimes exceeding 200 mph. Many consumers experiencing an air bag deployment have indicated that the air bag appeared to explode, and have compared the sound to a shotgun blast.
Air Pressure Sensor
I've investigated air bag defects, problems and malfunctions in all types of vehicles, including models from Acura, Bmw, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, general Motors (Gm), Gmc, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, Toyota, and Volkswagen (Vw).
When questioning an air bag's operation while an accident, there are three valuable questions you should analyze before determining its role in contributing to serious injuries or a wrongful death.
Should the air bag have deployed?
When an airbag should deploy depends on many different factors, including your type of airbag. If the airbag did not deploy, and should have, you may have a "failure to deploy" or "non-deployment" case. In such a situation, the air bag would have deployed if the air bag crash sensor or other components had not failed.
Failure of a crash sensor (or the wires connecting a crash sensor to the electronic control unit) often cause the air bag to not deploy. Sometimes air bags don't deploy because the car enterprise did not guide sufficient crash tests when designing the air bags.
For example, many airbag systems sold to consumers were never tested in car-to-car crash tests, even though such crashes occur every day. We often see air bag failures in crashes spirited trees or utility poles.
If the passenger air bag deployed, but the driver air bag did not deploy, the car may comprise a defective "clockspring" or coil. A clockspring is an electrical device installed in the steering column beneath the driver air bag. Its function is to forward an electrical current to deploy the driver air bag. Some defects have been identified in clocksprings, including form defects, inadequate testing, improper factory and improper adjustment - all of which have led to driver air bag failures.
In some cases, a passenger air bag will not deploy even though the driver air bag deployed and a passenger was sitting in the seat. This could occur when the industrialized air bags (now widely used in new cars) fail to detect the passenger with their passenger presence detection sensor.
If the air bag deployed, but should not have deployed, you may have an "inadvertent" or unwarranted low-speed deployment. Inadvertent deployments can occur even if the car was not complicated in an accident and are often caused by air bag sensor or other electrical theory defects. In some cases, even a minor activity such as a turning your key in the ignition can trigger air bag deployment.
Some manufacturers used inappropriate sensor combinations that are overly susceptible to low-speed, localized impacts. Other manufacturers used inappropriate sensors and/or test programs that allowed air bags to deploy even when the car struck a pothole or curb.
Did the air bag deploy late?
In a late deployment case, the air bag deploys later than it should, allowing a man to move toward the air bag (sometimes called "out-of-position"). The ultimate force from an air bag at close range can cause catastrophic injuries. Late deployments often occur in minor accidents and collisions that differ from the manufacturers' crash testing.
At least one constructor implemented an electrical device in an attempt to fix an additional one problem, but which caused late deployments under determined accident circumstances.
Often, such late deployments can be prevented using further sensors and/or changes to the algorithms of electronic sensors. In some cases, the vehicle's "black box" can confirm that a late deployment took place. The airbag system's black box is also sometimes called the Sdm (Sensing and Diagnostic Module), Derm (Diagnostic and vigor reserve Module), Rcm (Restraints control Module), Edr (Event Data Recorder), or Ecu (Electronic control Unit).
Did the air bag have specific security features?
Because air bags can deploy at speeds of more than 200 mph, they should comprise determined security features to cut the risk of injury while deployment.
When investigating this type of possible case, we resolve whether your air bag theory performed as intended and if it included security features such as air bag inflaters that inflate less forcefully, tethers that significantly cut "bag slap" injuries, and vents that decrease pressure inside the air bag. We also study the possibility that manufacturing defects and ability control problems caused or contributed to your injuries.
In expanding to security features, the air bag theory must also work together with the other parts of the car. For example, air bag crash sensors depend on the car having a good structure or frame so the signal is received soon sufficient to avoid a late deployment. Also, the instrument panel (I/P) or "dash" needs to be designed so that the knees and legs are not injured, while keeping the body properly positioned. And, when the air bag deploys, it must not create further hazards for other components. For example, some air bags are known to shatter the dash and send the pieces flying toward the passengers at high speeds.
You should get answers to these questions for any potentially defective front, side, curtain or rollover air bags. You deserve a safe and sufficient air bag while any type of a crash.
How to determine If Your Air Bag Performed Properly