What is an Airbag Burn? – Injuries From Airbag Deployment

An airbag burn, also called airbag dermatitis, is a skin burn that occurs when extreme temperatures build up during deployment. Airbag burns may be caused by defective installation or malfunction when the system was installed. This condition can affect everyone in the car, driver and passenger alike.

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), 8% of injuries caused by deployment were burns. If you have been involved in a car accident and suffered from an airbag burn, immediately seek medical attention.

If you suffered an airbag burn from a car accident and it wasn’t your fault, you may qualify for a personal injury claim. For that, you’ll need a lawyer to legally defend yourself while acquiring an adequate settlement for your injuries.

Types of Burns Found in an Airbag Injury

Multiple types of burn injuries can occur due to airbag deployment, and their severity may vary. You can sustain thermal, chemical, and friction burns in an airbag injury, but also physical trauma like cuts and lacerations as well.

Thermal Burns

An airbag has to deploy at fractions of a second to immediately protect drivers and passengers from impact. Unfortunately, this involves high-temperature chemicals and explosive gasses to achieve such speeds.

As a result, thermal burns may occur as people come into contact with temperature buildup from hot airbag surfaces.

Thermal can range from shallow to life-threatening injuries depending on the heat and your exposure to it. Thermal burns can occur in vehicles due to several factors:

• Hot surfaces—a vehicle’s engine can become hot during a crash and cause burns if the skin comes in contact with the material.
• Hot fluids—engine coolant can come into contact with your skin, causing severe burns.
• Fires—vehicle fires may be caused by electrical faults, fuel line ruptures, or overheating in the engine may cause severe burns.
• Explosions—thermal burns can happen when your vehicle comes in contact with explosions and flames.

No matter how minor or severe a thermal burn injury is, one should seek medical help to make sure there are no longer-lasting effects.

Friction Burns

An airbag’s rapid deployment can cause friction burns as one’s skin rubs against the moving surface, causing abrasions.

Common areas for airbag friction burns are bony areas such as knees, elbows, or facial areas. The severity of these burns may range from mildly common to highly severe.

The injuries from a friction-based airbag burn may be more severe if the parties involved did not use seat belts at the time of impact.

Minor friction burns can be normally treated at home, but seek a doctor if it worsens. Most minor friction burns go away over time, but symptoms can be severe enough to take you out of work.

Chemical Burns

When airbags deploy, they release chemicals like sodium azide that convert to harmful gasses, causing chemical burn injuries.

The intensity of your airbag burn depends on what type of chemical you came in contact with. A particularly intense car crash can rupture the airbag, releasing these hot gasses and escalating your airbag burn.

Other chemicals that can account for burns include sodium hydroxide, carbon dioxide, metallic oxides, and nitrogen gas. No matter what chemical substance, seek immediate medical care as they can cause permanent damage to your skin.

Ways to Care For an Airbag Burn

An airbag burn can range from mild injury to third-degree permanent disfigurement. Always consult a medical professional for pointed advice if you feel your airbag burn deserves expert care.

For mild airbag burns, you can use these tactics to minimize pain and encourage healing while you rest. Keep these steps in mind if you suffered a severe airbag burn and are awaiting medical attention as well:

1. Cleaning and bandaging the injury. Use sterile wipes or rinse under cool clean water for 20 minutes to prevent infection. For a chemical burn, don’t run it under cold water (instead, use cool to lukewarm).

IMPORTANT: Do not place compressed ice on injury as it may damage your skin tissue.

2. Drying gently with a clean sterile cloth and applying antibacterial ointment to each wound. Gently wrap a clean gauze or band-aid.
3. Avoid touching swollen areas on your face and wait for the ambulance. Don’t remove foreign objects on the skin yourself and wait for the paramedics. Doing things on your own can worsen your injury if you aren’t sure what to do.
4. If you feel you are suffering from damaged bones or fractures on your legs, use a sling or splint to immobilize broken bones. Otherwise don’t attempt something you are unsure of and wait for the paramedics.
5. If you feel out of breath, try taking long deep breaths and be as calm as you can.

Keep in mind this first-aid is only to aid your injuries in the beginning, not to cure. Wait for the ambulance to arrive so they can examine your injuries thoroughly.

How Long Does it Take to Heal From Airbag Injuries?

The length of time it takes to heal from airbag burn depends on the degree of your injuries. Mild airbag burns can heal after a few days, but severe ones can take weeks, months, or never fully heal at all.

For instance, a first-degree thermal burn is not as serious and can be treated at home, healing within three to five days with proper first-aid. A third or fourth-degree burn may be life-threatening and need skin grafts and surgery to recover from.

Other burns like chemical and friction burns are similar as it depends on the exposure of the skin and how deep the burn is. It’s recommended to seek a doctor even with a minor burn injury, as they can lead to burn infection, causing your injury to worsen.

Common Causes of Injury From Airbag Deployment

Some common injuries from airbag deployment may include:

• Neck injuries—when the airbag is deployed, the body is thrown erratically which can cause the victim’s neck to sprain or experience whiplash.
• Eye injuries—the extreme force of an airbag can tear vital parts in the eye like the cornea, iris, and retina.
• Facial trauma—physical injuries on the face such as burns, lacerations, bruises, etc.
• Burns—high-speed deployment can cause thermal, chemical, or friction burns, especially on the face and arms.
• Fractures—Improper airbag deployment can harm your ribs and other areas around your body, especially if you didn’t use a seatbelt.
• Hearing loss—airbag deployment produces a loud sound that can cause loss of hearing. A study of otologic injuries of 20 patients showed that 17 (85%) patients suffered hearing loss during an airbag deployment.
• Internal injuries—the force of an airbag can lacerate organs such as the abdomen, ruptured lungs, punctured lungs, etc.

Preventing an Airbag Burn Injury

The most important way to avoid an airbag burn injury is to properly be seated, and make sure your seat belt is on. Airbags are there to work with seat-belts and cannot work as a replacement.

Other ways you can minimize or prevent an airbag burn injury are:

• Sitting as far away from the dashboard or steering wheel as much as possible. NHTSA states this is the most important tip when it comes to airbag safety.
• Position your body correctly. Sit upright and have your feet on the floor. Avoid placing your legs and arms near the airbag.
• Know airbag deployment locations. Replace used airbags at an authorized repair auto shop and have a technician inspect your airbag system.
• For children under 12, have them sit properly with an age-appropriate car seat. Teach your child to wear a seatbelt appropriately.
• Avoid having seat or dashboard covers that can affect the direction of the airbag deployment.

NHTSA reported about 284 airbag-related deaths were recorded from 1990-2007 where 180 children were killed. FARS reported about 18% of the cause was due to failed airbag deployments in the front of the car.

Types of Damages From an Airbag Burn

Airbags are meant to prevent fatalities in a car crash, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t harmless. Those with musculoskeletal injuries and pre-existing medical conditions are most susceptible to injury from airbags.

Such injuries should be noted as economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit. There are also non-economic damages associated with an airbag burn, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

It’s important to note such damages so your personal injury attorney can prove your losses. You need the most evidence possible so your medical and emotional losses can be properly compensated.

Economic Damages

These damages are actual, measurable losses such as loss of income, property damage, disfigurement, and all types of medical expenses. If the other party drove recklessly, causing your losses and injuries, you can sue for economic damages.

It’s important to find an auto attorney to help you recover what you lose, especially from medical costs since those are the most expensive. An attorney can help you calculate the amount of economic losses you deserve and fight for your losses.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages may be difficult to discern due to their subjective nature. These are the intangible losses you experienced due to your losses. Examples of non-economic damages from an airbag burn include:

• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Without an attorney on your side, insurance companies may waive off your non-economic damages to withhold granting you payments. To calculate and support non-economic losses, an attorney may have to go to medical records, expert advice, and witness testimonials.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Attorney Through LegalASAP

If you believe the other party was negligent and caused your auto accident, get a free consultation with an attorney through LegalASAP. We understand your pain and loss, which is why working with us can help you fight for your rights. Our network expands across the U.S. and we can help you locate an attorney specialized in your case.

Submit a free consultation form here and we’ll see if you qualify for a claim. You may also contact us at (888) 927-3080 and we can try our best to answer your questions or concerns.