The 5 Most Common Airbag Injuries

When you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you may suffer serious injuries. You depend on your car to keep you safe, and there are a variety of safety mechanisms that can help you avoid a motor vehicle accident. Unfortunately, a car accident might still take place, and you expect your car to protect you. One of the most important safety features is the airbag. Even though airbags can save your life, they can also cause some serious injuries.



If you are involved in a serious accident, your airbags should go off immediately. They need to inflate quickly to prevent you from striking the door, window, steering wheel, or dashboard. As a result, you may suffer a serious injury. Airbags are most likely to cause injuries to your upper body, but learn more about before and after airbags injuries.

1. Facial Injuries

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident in Rhode Island, you might suffer a serious facial air bag injury. There are a variety of facial injuries that you might suffer. For example, you might suffer cuts, bruises, and scrapes on your face. It is even possible that you may suffer a broken nose, depending on the force with which you strike the airbag.



If you want to reduce your chances of being seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, make sure you wear your seatbelt. It could restrain you, preventing airbag face damage from taking place.

2. Bone Fractures

It is also possible that you might suffer a variety of bone fractures as a result of an airbag impact. For example, you may use your arms to restrain yourself, but you could suffer a fracture of the radius or ulna. Or, if you strike the airbag with your chest, you could suffer multiple broken ribs. You could also capture some of the bones in your face, including the maxilla and mandible.

Even if you don't suffer bone fractures, you could suffer other musculoskeletal injuries. You need to reach out to a chiropractor in Rhode Island who can make sure your injuries are appropriately addressed.

3. Burn Injuries

Did you know that airbags could even lead to burn injuries? Even though an airbag is not necessarily hot, the airbag could move along the surface of your skin. This includes your face, arms, chest, and hands. When the fabric of the airbag moves across your skin quickly, it can create a friction burn. It can even strip the skin from certain parts of your body, leading to serious injuries. You need to make sure you seek appropriate healthcare as quickly as possible to prevent injuries from becoming infected.

4. Eye and Ear Injuries

It is not unusual for people to suffer various eye and ear injuries in a motor vehicle accident as well. The chemical irritants that fly from the airbag can penetrate your eyes, leading to significant pain and inflammation. It could even make it difficult for you to see.

There are different types of ear trauma that you might experience as well. For example, there might be some objects that penetrate your ear canal, damaging the eardrum. Or, the pressure injury from the airbag could lead to damage to the internal structures of your ear. You need to seek appropriate care as quickly as possible to minimize potential damage to your eyes and ears.

5. Neck and Back Injuries

Your neck and back are also vulnerable to the impact of the airbag. Even though the seat belt will prevent your body from being thrust forward, your airbag can also strike your body quickly from the other direction. The rapid changes in momentum can place a tremendous amount of stress on the ligaments in your neck and back.



For example, you might suffer whiplash, which is a sprain of the cervical ligaments in your neck. You may also suffer sprains and strains of other tendons, muscles, and ligaments in other parts of your back. You need to visit a chiropractor who can conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your neck and back, making sure that your injuries are appropriately treated.

Call Estner Injury Centers for Help Following a Motor Vehicle Accident in Rhode Island

Following a motor vehicle accident in Rhode Island, you need to call 911 as quickly as possible. Make sure first responders come to the scene, and do not forget to ask for a copy of the report from the accident. Even if you go to the emergency room, you still need to visit a chiropractor in Rhode Island who can help you develop a comprehensive plan to address your injuries. At Estner Injury Centers, we are here to help you. We have a tremendous amount of experience treating various car accident injuries, so give us a call today to schedule an appointment.