Texas Air Bag Defect Lawyer
Were you or a loved one hurt due to a defective airbag? Seek airbag injury compensation.
Airbags installed in cars and trucks are designed to inflate and cushion the occupants of a vehicle in the event of a crash, preventing injuries. But defective airbags may fail to deploy or may explode when they inflate and cause serious or fatal injuries.
Tens of millions of airbags manufactured by the Japanese supplier Takata and installed in vehicles in the United States have been recalled because of a defective inflator that may explode when activated. Defective airbags have been identified as the cause of numerous serious injuries and deaths in recent years.
The injury attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. bring a combined 100 years of experience to investigating injuries involving defective products. Our attorneys firmly believe that auto manufacturers and auto parts suppliers should be held responsible when their defective products cause serious injuries.
We are dedicated to pursuing compensation to help you recover from a serious injury or the loss of a loved one due to an unsafe airbag. A dangerous product that has harmed you may have injured others as well. Pursuing a lawsuit targeting a defective airbag or other product may prevent others in Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, Ft. Worth and the Rio Grande Valley from suffering harm and make the community safer.
Call for a free consultation if you have questions about whether a defective airbag may be responsible for your injuries. Let our experienced Corpus Christi airbag defect lawyer review the specific facts of your accident and explain your legal rights. At Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., we focus exclusively on helping accident victims. You may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other expenses.
What Causes Airbag Defects?
Airbags are designed to inflate quickly in moderate to severe collisions. For example, airbags may deploy if a car traveling 8 to 14 miles per hours hits a fixed barrier, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Their deployment depends on several factors including the speed of the vehicles at the time in the collision, the direction of the impact and the design of the airbag system.
Airbags work in conjunction with seat belts to reduce the chances that a collision will propel a crash victim’s head or body to strike the windshield, steering wheel or dashboard. Frontal airbags have been standard equipment on cars since 1998 and on all SUVs, pickups and vans since 1999.
A defect that prevents the timely inflation of an airbag can cause serious injuries. Airbags with inadequate testing, lack of tethers, nonworking sensors or folding defects may fail to inflate properly and protect car occupants in a crash.
Alternately, if the airbag inflates with too much force, it also may cause serious or fatal injuries.
5 Main issues of Defective Airbags
- Air bags may not deploy.
- Air bags may accidentally deploy.
- Air bags may be too aggressive when they deploy.
- Lack of side air bags.
- Air bags may deploy late.
Ammonium nitrate, the propellant used in millions of Takata airbags, is unstable and highly combustible. Takata airbags may inflate violently, rupturing the metal canister that holds the propellant and spraying metal shards throughout the passenger compartment.
The metal shards can cause serious or fatal puncture wounds to the face, eyes, head, neck, and chest. Takata failed to alert regulators of the serious defect involving the inflators.
Tens of millions of cars and trucks made by more than 30 manufacturers have now been recalled because of defective Takata airbags and more recalls may occur. Among the auto manufacturers, Honda has the most vehicles with defective Takata airbags.
A vehicle may be recalled for replacement of either the driver-side or passenger-side airbag. In some cases, a vehicle may be recalled for replacement of a driver-side airbag, then recalled at a later date for the replacement of the passenger-side airbag.
Defective Takata airbag systems have been linked to at least 11 deaths and 180 injuries to date. Texas is among the states where the risk of a defective airbag rupturing is highest because of high temperatures and humidity.
If you have been harmed by a defective airbag in Texas, attorney Gregory Herrman and the legal team at Herrman and Herrman, P.L.L.C. are ready to help. We will review the details of your accident and discuss your legal options for a filing a defective airbag lawsuit claiming compensation for your losses.
We understand that you may be experiencing financial stress if you are out of work because of a serious injury and dealing with unanticipated medical expenses.
We handle defective airbag cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not owe a legal fee unless we obtain compensation for you through a negotiated settlement or a jury award.
Risk of Defective Airbags Highest in Certain Models
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the faulty airbag inflators in certain older 2001 to 2003 Hondas and Acuras pose a grave danger.
The motorists are urged not to drive the following vehicles until the airbags are replaced:
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2001-2002 Honda Civic
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2001-2002 Honda Accord
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2002-2003 Acura TL
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2002 Honda CR-V
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2002 Honda Odyssey
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2003 Acura CL
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2003 Honda Pilot
Proving that a defective airbag caused your injury or your loved one’s death requires a detailed investigation by experienced product liability lawyers. Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. has a network of respected industry experts who have knowledge of airbag manufacturing and installation.
These experts help us build a fact-based case that shows shortcuts were taken or safety standards were ignored. If the injury caused a disability, we may collaborate with a life care planner who can project the lifetime costs of a disabling injury and its effects on your quality of life.
We may consult with accident reconstruction specialists to show how a product defect caused a crash resulting in an injury or death.
Call for a Free Consultation about Your Defective Airbag
If you have been injured in a crash in Texas and suspect a faulty airbag contributed to your injuries, call Herrman & Herrman P.L.L.C. to discuss the accident. We focus on personal injury cases including car and truck accidents caused by product defects. We have assisted thousands of people. Our law firm has extensive experience in personal injury law, having handled more than 20,000 cases. We have office locations in Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, and Ft. Worth, Texas. Herrman & Herrman has Spanish-speaking and English-speaking staff so you can discuss your legal matter in the language that you feel most comfortable speaking.