While airbags help prevent catastrophic injuries, they can often leave St. Louis car accident victims with painful burns, abrasions, and chemical irritation across the face, neck, and arms. These wounds often require medical treatment, time away from work, and may even leave permanent scarring.
If your airbag injuries resulted from another driver's negligence, you may have grounds for seeking compensation beyond what insurance initially offers.
Understanding the nature of airbag injuries and your legal rights can help you make informed decisions about your recovery. Let's explore when airbag injuries might warrant a conversation with a St. Louis car accident attorney at Bollwerk & Associates.
How Airbags Cause Burns and Abrasions
Airbags save thousands of lives each year, but they deploy with tremendous force and speed that can cause several types of burns and abrasions:
- Chemical burns. Sodium azide and other chemicals used to inflate airbags can cause painful chemical burns when they contact your skin. These burns often appear as redness, blistering, and irritation on exposed areas like your face, neck, and arms. The severity depends on factors like proximity to the airbag and whether your skin was directly exposed to the chemical propellant.
- Friction burns. Airbags deploy at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, creating significant friction against your skin. This rapid contact can cause abrasions similar to road rash. These painful injuries typically heal within weeks but may require medical attention to prevent infection and minimize scarring.
- Thermal burns. The chemical reaction that inflates an airbag generates intense heat. Though brief, this heat can cause first or second-degree burns on exposed skin. These injuries often require specialized wound care and may leave permanent marks depending on their severity and location.
- Powder residue irritation. Many airbags contain talcum powder to keep them properly packed and ensure smooth deployment. This powder can cause respiratory irritation, eye discomfort, and skin reactions in some individuals with particular sensitivities.
- Secondary injuries. The force of airbag deployment can push your arms or hands against other surfaces in the vehicle, causing additional friction burns or abrasions. These secondary injuries often compound the direct damage from the airbag itself.
When Airbag Injuries May Warrant the Assistance of a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney
Not every airbag injury justifies filing a lawsuit, but certain circumstances suggest you should consult with a St. Louis car accident attorney at Bollwerk & Associates:
- Accident caused by another driver. When another driver's negligence causes a collision that triggers your airbag, that driver may be responsible for all resulting injuries—including airbag burns and abrasions. Even if you’re partially at fault, you may still be entitled to compensation.
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement. Facial scarring from airbag burns can have lasting physical and emotional effects. When these injuries result in permanent disfigurement, you may be entitled to additional compensation to address the long-term impact on your quality of life and self-image.
- Significant medical expenses. Treatment for severe airbag burns often involves specialized wound care, possible skin grafts, and procedures to minimize scarring. These medical expenses can quickly exceed what insurance initially offers.
Types of Compensation Available for Airbag Burn Victims
A comprehensive claim for airbag burn injuries might include several types of damages:
- Medical expenses. This includes emergency treatment, follow-up care, medications, specialized wound care supplies, and potential future procedures like scar revision surgery. Make sure your claim accounts for both current and anticipated medical needs related to your injuries.
- Lost income. Recovery from significant burns often requires time away from work. Your claim should include compensation for missed wages, reduced earning capacity, and potential future income losses if your injuries affect your long-term career prospects.
- Pain and suffering. Burns are among the most painful injuries to endure. The physical discomfort during treatment and recovery deserves appropriate compensation, especially for more severe or widespread burn injuries requiring intensive care.
- Emotional distress. The psychological impact of disfigurement from burn injuries can be profound. Compensation for emotional suffering acknowledges the anxiety, depression, and social challenges that often accompany visible scarring from airbag deployments.
- Property damage. Beyond injuries to your person, your vehicle may require repairs or replacement after a collision that deployed the airbags. A comprehensive claim includes fair compensation for these property losses as well as personal injuries.
