Airbag Injury Lawsuit

Airbag Dangers in Slow Speed Crashes

Automotive air bags were developed to adequately cushion an adult of average height and weight in a severe crash, but in a number of cases, the force of the explosive activation of the bag has resulted in injuries to people who were too close to the bag when it deployed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that between 1990 and 1999, airbag deployment has killed over 200 people in low-severity crashes. Over 60% of those killed were children or people of small stature. Since the NHTSA doesn't recognize injuries as an issue or track injury statistics, exact numbers are difficult to determine, but it is safe to assume that injuries are far more prevalent than deaths.

The injuries that have been reported include many reported injuries to the eyes. Injuries reported in a respected ophthalmic publication include bruising of the eye socket (orbital contusion) and bleeding in the eyeball (hyphema) as well as damage to the bones and soft tissues of the eye socket. In at least one case, the force resulted in a ruptured eyeball and subsequent blindness.

Dr Maria Segui-Gomez, a leading airbag researcher, in a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, states: "Airbag deployment at lower crash severities has a net injurious effect on drivers, especially women drivers. Injuries induced in this situation are mostly of minor and moderate acute severity, but they have quite long-term consequences."

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