San Jose Airbag & Seat Belt Failure Lawyers

Injured by Seatbelt or Airbag Failure?

Our San Jose Auto Defect Attorneys Can Help You

Airbags and seat belts are intended to be life-saving devices — and often are. However, faulty seatbelt or airbag design is responsible at times for causing serious personal injuries. An airbag that fails to deploy can leave a person paralyzed, brain damaged or even fatally wounded. It is the law to “Click it, or ticket”, as they say; so it is scary to think about the reality that many injuries are caused by seatbelt and/or airbag failure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that three million people are injured by defective seatbelts while an additional 40,000 are killed every year. Seatbelt failure is most commonly reported in accidents involving rollovers.

The San Jose auto defect attorneys at the offices of Bohn & Fletcher, LLP have been restoring justice to victims of airbag and seat belt failure for more than four decades. Our office provides the highest quality legal services with responsive, individualized attention to each client we represent. Over the years, we have obtained multi-million dollar recoveries for injured clients throughout the state of California. We will always aggressively pursue rightful compensation on behalf of the wrongfully injured.

What Are the Dangers of Automobile Airbag Failures?

Our automobile accident attorneys represent clients who suffer from all types of airbag failures, including:

  • Overaggressive airbags. Airbags inflate at 200 mph. This velocity is especially dangerous to short drivers who sit close to the steering wheel, as well as young or elderly passengers.
  • Airbags that fail to deploy. Serious and potentially life-changing injuries can result from an airbag failing to deploy in the event of an accident. Along with the risk of paralysis, brain damage and wrongful death, severe facial injuries are often reported in accidents involving an airbag failing to deploy. These injuries often include lost teeth, broken noses or other bones and eye injuries that often require surgery to fix.
  • Airbags that deploy unnecessarily. Due to the aforementioned velocity of the airbag inflation, serious injury can result when it goes off — even when it deploys as it should. If an airbag goes off in an accident and saves your life, you would likely be relieved. Conversely, when an airbag goes off unexpectedly while you are driving and causes an accident that results in serious injury or wrongful death, it is very unfortunate.
  • Airbags that inflate improperly. If the airbag fails to inflate to capacity in the event of an accident, then it will not provide the full amount of protection that it should. As a result, a driver and/or passenger of a motor vehicle will likely sustain more serious injuries than they would have had the airbag inflated properly.

A defective airbag injury can result in significant damage to the whole body, especially the face, head, neck, back and spinal cord — a person may even become blind from such a defect. If you or someone in the car with you was injured due to a seatbelt or airbag malfunction, then it is highly recommended that you seek the legal services of qualified San Jose auto defect attorneys.

What are Common Injuries Caused by Seatbelt Defects?

Seat belt manufacturers aim for a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This is largely due to the fact that they are bound by design and cost limitations. The one-size model is flawed because most car models offer improperly sized seat belts for people whose height or weight is substantially outside the national average. As a result, seat belt injuries can be caused due to improper fit. For example, the belt may unlatch at the moment of impact or lay on the individual in a dangerous way.

The following is a partial list of injuries that seat belt failure victims may suffer:

  • Concussions
  • Aneurysm
  • Internal organ damage
  • Vertebral injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Paraplegia
  • Quadriplegia
  • Death

If you were in a car accident involving a seatbelt or airbag failure — and suffered a serious injury as a result — it is important to refuse any settlement agreement offered to you from the manufacturer or insurance company until you speak with experienced San Jose auto defect attorneys. Our vehicle defect lawyers have experience in many types of car accident cases. They can tell you more about what to do in an accident scenario and explain how you can get proper legal help.

Worried About Affording a Lawyer? We Only Charge if You Win

At Bohn & Fletcher, LLP, we operate on a contingency fee basis for all clients and offer a free initial consultation. Our services stretch beyond the San Jose area, and we will gladly visit you in your home or hospital if you cannot travel. Our attorneys are dedicated to fighting for you and have many resources that we can utilize to help you receive a favorable outcome in your defective vehicle lawsuit. We will even call upon top experts in the field when necessary in order to determine the long-term physical and mental consequences of this traumatic experience.

The San Jose auto defect attorneys at our law office have substantial experience dealing with automobile airbag and seat belt failures. To discuss your legal situation with a dedicated vehicle defect lawyer from our office, contact us online or call 408-279-4222 today.