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3 common airbag-associated injuries

Along with crumple zones and seat belts, airbags have made cars considerably safer in recent years. In fact, between their invention and 2017, frontal airbags prevented an estimated 50,457 traffic fatalities. While your car’s airbags may improve your odds of surviving a serious motor vehicle accident, they may also cause you to suffer some injuries.

Here are three airbag-associated injuries drivers in Georgia and across the country often sustain in car crashes.

1. Wrist injuries

To function properly, your car’s airbags must deploy with considerable force in a fraction of a second. The inflation process may contribute to hand and wrist injuries, such as fractures, sprains and nerve damage. While some wrist injuries heal with just a cast, others require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

2. Eye injuries

If your face collides with a deployed airbag, you may break the orbital bounds that surround your eyes. You may also suffer a corneal laceration. More commonly, though, accident victims experience eye irritation due to the chemicals inside airbags. In serious cases, this irritation may lead to temporary or even permanent loss of vision.

3. Internal injuries

Even though your car’s airbags may provide a valuable cushion, you may feel like you are colliding with a rock. Sometimes, an impact with an airbag is sufficient to cause life-threatening internal injuries. Internal bleeding, aortal tears and organ damage are all be possible, sadly.

Because you may not know the extent of your wrist, eye or internal injuries, it is advisable to go to the emergency room following any crash where airbags deploy. Ultimately, if your inflated airbag causes you to suffer a catastrophic injury, you may be eligible for substantial financial compensation.

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