Can you get compensation for an airbag injury after an accident or malfunction in Florida? Generally, you have a chance to secure funds to cover your losses if someone else caused the damage through an act of negligence.
A car accident lawyer can assess your situation to see if you qualify for damages. Our team at Fasig | Brooks may seek damages from another driver or even the car manufacturer in this situation.
Find out more about your options by calling us or completing our online contact form.
When Can You Get Compensation for an Airbag Injury?
You may have a chance to secure damages for injuries caused by an airbag in two situations:
After a Car Accident
Airbags deploy during car accidents as a safety precaution. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), airbags significantly reduce the risk of a fatality in head-on and side-impact collisions.
While airbags can save your life in a car accident in Florida, they can also result in injuries during the collision. In this situation, you may have a chance to seek damages from the driver who caused your accident.
After an Airbag Malfunction
Airbags can cause injuries when they function correctly. However, some of these safety devices malfunction, resulting in additional injuries. Malfunctions often occur due to a faulty trigger or sensor in the airbag mechanism.
In this situation, a product liability lawyer may help you file a claim against the car manufacturer or the company that produced the defective airbag. This claim can allow you to seek damages to cover your losses.
How do You Get Damages for an Airbag Injury from an Accident?
Can you get compensation for an airbag injury caused by a car accident in Florida? In general, you can file a claim for compensation anytime you sustain an injury in a collision under Florida’s car insurance laws.
If the airbag caused severe injuries, you might also have a chance to file a claim against the driver who caused the injury. However, you may only have a legal opportunity to move forward with your claim if a lawyer shows that:
- The other party owed you a duty of care
- They violated their duty of care
- Their actions directly led to your injuries
For example, let’s say another driver ran through a red light and T-boned your vehicle, causing the airbags to go off. In the accident, you sustained severe injuries, including a broken nose from the airbag.
In this situation, you could have a chance to file a lawsuit against the driver who struck you, allowing you to seek damages to cover your losses.
How do You Get Damages for an Airbag Injury from a Product Defect?
Cases involving airbag injuries caused by a malfunction work differently in Florida. These defects can occur during or outside of an accident. For example, some defects cause an airbag to deploy without an impact.
Other defects cause airbags to deploy in such a way that they cause burns or significant scarring. They may also fail to deploy, resulting in more severe injuries during a crash because they did not provide protection.
Manufacturers sometimes catch these problems early and issue a recall. However, an airbag repaired in a recall can still malfunction. In this situation, a product liability lawyer may investigate to show that:
- Your airbag had a dangerous defect
- The airbag’s defect caused or contributed to your injuries
- The defect result in financial losses or emotional damages
If a lawyer establishes these facts, you may pursue a lawsuit.
What Kind of Compensation Can You Get After an Airbag Injury?
You can get compensation for an airbag injury in Florida in many cases. What kind of damages can you secure for these injuries? A lawyer may help you receive funds to cover your:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Hospitalization, medical tests, and procedures
- Physical therapy and medications
- Time off at work
- Lost earning potential
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
The amount of damages you receive can vary based on the severity of the injuries caused by the airbag.
What Injuries Can You Get from an Airbag?
Airbags do not always cause the same injuries in Florida. However, many people end up facing injuries such as:
- Fractures around their hands, wrists, or fingers
- Burns or lacerations on the face, neck, or arms
- Injuries to the eye
- Chest injuries
- Bruising
Make sure you seek medical care quickly if you sustain injuries due to an airbag. Getting help quickly can show that the airbag’s deployment caused your injuries, which can help you secure funds to cover your losses.
How Long does It Take to Recover from an Airbag Injury?
Airbag injuries do not all heal at the same rate. For example, it may take a few weeks to recover from cuts and bruises, while broken bones can take months to heal. Therefore, it’s challenging to estimate a recovery time for these accidents.
An airbag accident lawyer in Florida can review the time you need to take off to recover when working on your claim. You may receive funds to cover the work you missed during your period of recovery.
Note that you do not have to wait until you recover to start building a claim. In fact, you may want to begin working with a lawyer immediately after your accident, as Florida has a statute of limitations for both personal injury and product liability claims.
Contact Us After a Florida Airbag Injury
Can you get compensation for an airbag injury? If someone else caused the injury, you might have a chance to file a claim. You can discuss the specifics of your situation with a lawyer from Fasig | Brooks.
Review the steps we can take to help you by calling us or completing our online contact form.
