Indianapolis Airbag Injury Attorney
Airbags reduce driver fatalities in car accidents, but they can also cause severe injuries due to airbag failure and even when they work correctly. Drivers and passengers with airbag injuries face significant challenges during their recovery, including expensive medical bills, substantial lost income, and significant pain and suffering.
If you’ve suffered airbag-related injuries in an Indianapolis car crash, the attorneys with Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC want to pursue maximum compensation for what you’ve suffered. Our law firm has been fighting for injured people since 1999. During that time, we have earned accolades including the Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® Rating, memberships in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®.
Contact us today to set up a free consultation with an Indianapolis airbag injury lawyer and find out what your airbag injury case may be worth.
How Can Airbags Cause Serious Injuries?
Defects can cause airbags not to deploy when they should. For example, if you’re in a collision and the airbag fails to deploy, you may be vulnerable to severe injuries. Other times, the airbag might deploy unexpectedly, even when there’s no accident, which can cause harm to both the driver and passengers. Additionally, a defective airbag might deploy too forcefully, releasing with such power that it can cause burns, broken bones, or head injuries. Some defective airbags have even released deadly shrapnel that can pierce a victim’s chest and abdomen.
Even when airbags work as they should, they can still cause injuries. In some cases, the speed and force of the airbag deployment can be too much, especially for smaller passengers, like children and elderly individuals. The impact of a properly functioning airbag can lead to facial injuries, bruises, or even broken bones. If a person is sitting too close to the steering wheel or dashboard, the risk of injury increases.
How Our Indianapolis Airbag Injury Lawyers Can Help You
Your priority after a car accident is healing from your injuries, not jumping through hoops to get the money you deserve. The Indianapolis personal injury attorneys with Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC can handle the legal process in your case while you recover from your serious injuries.
We stand ready to investigate the car accident, identify the liable parties, determine if the airbags in your car had any defects, and negotiate a fair insurance settlement for you. If necessary, we’re fully prepared to aggressively assert your rights in court – and we won’t charge you a fee unless we win.
Our efforts in previous personal injury cases have prompted clients to provide positive testimonials. For example, Marc Crick posted a Google review, stating, “Everyone I spoke to from CKF were absolutely the best. Every area of my case was managed well and they truly had the right people managing the right parts. I was always kept in the loop and they were available for any of my questions.”
What Compensation Could I Recover in an Airbag Injury Lawsuit?
Your compensation for airbag injuries depends on your lost income, medical expenses, how long your injuries are expected to last, and other factors. Our airbag injury attorneys can help you in your pursuit of maximum compensation, which could include money for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages while you heal
- Reduced future earnings due to a long-term disability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life due to your injuries
- Damaged personal property, such as the cost to repair or replace your car
The Role of Product Liability in Indianapolis Airbag Injury Cases
When an airbag malfunctions due to a manufacturing or design defect, injured drivers and passengers may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer. The ongoing recall of vehicles with certain Takata airbags is an example of a defective product, as many of the company’s airbags did not work as intended and caused severe injuries.
Under Indiana law, a product is defective if, when sold to the consumer, it’s in a condition that a reasonable person wouldn’t expect and is unreasonably dangerous when used in normal ways. That means if an airbag deploys with excessive force, doesn’t deploy at all, or malfunctions in some other way, it could be considered defective.
Product liability cases come with unique legal challenges. One of the most important aspects of these cases is that Indiana allows the manufacturer of a defective product to be held strictly liable. Strict liability means the injured person doesn’t have to prove that the manufacturer was negligent. Instead, they only need to show that the product was defective and that this defect caused their injuries. That makes it easier for victims to recover compensation, as they don’t have to worry about proving the company acted carelessly or made mistakes during production.
However, these cases can still be complex. The injured party must still gather evidence showing that the airbag was defective and caused their injuries. That often involves hiring experts to analyze the airbag and prove that it failed to meet safety standards. Product liability cases can take time and require strong legal strategies to help the injured parties get fair compensation.
Can the At-Fault Driver Be Liable for Injuries from Properly Functioning Airbags?
Yes, the at-fault driver can be liable for injuries from properly functioning airbags. Even though the airbags deployed as designed, they can still cause injuries. The at-fault driver caused the crash in the first place. When they caused the collision, they triggered the airbag deployment, leading to injuries for the vehicle occupants.
In these cases, the injuries from the airbags are part of the injured person’s overall losses from the accident. The injured party may seek compensation for these injuries through a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver and their insurance company.
What Are Common Types of Airbag Injuries?
Airbags can cause severe injuries due to the speed and force of their deployment. In cases where airbags are defective, the risk of injury increases even more. Here are some common injuries from airbags and how they can happen:
- Facial injuries – When an airbag deploys, it can hit the face with significant force, causing bruising, cuts, or even facial fractures.
- Chest injuries – The impact of an airbag can lead to rib fractures, bruising, or other chest injuries, especially if the driver is sitting close to the steering wheel.
- Burns – Airbags inflate through a rapid chemical reaction, which can cause burns on the arms, face, or chest when the airbag touches the skin.
- Head and neck injuries – The force of the airbag hitting the head or neck can lead to whiplash, neck strains, or even concussions.
- Eye injuries – Airbags can cause eye injuries, such as cuts, bruising, or damage to the cornea, which may lead to vision problems.
- Shrapnel injuries – In cases involving a faulty airbag, the airbag can explode upon deployment and send metal fragments into the vehicle, leading to severe cuts, puncture wounds, or even fatal injuries.
- Hearing damage – The loud explosion of an airbag can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss, especially in smaller or enclosed spaces like a vehicle’s interior.
Get Help from an Indianapolis Airbag Injury Attorney Today
Indiana law gives you just two years from the date of an accident to file an airbag injury claim, so don’t wait to protect your rights. Call Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today or complete our contact form for a free case review from an Indianapolis airbag injury attorney at our law firm.