As if you didn't already have enough on your mind, here's another one to worry about: Does your car really have an airbag behind the steering wheel? In most cases, the answer is yes - particularly if you purchased your car brand new, from a authorized dealer. It's when you bought your car used, from - say - a less reputable dealer that "missing airbag syndrome" may be of greater concern. Here's why...
When a motor vehicle equipped with an airbag is involved in a front-end collision, sensors located in the vicinity of the front bumper are tripped, leading to the deployment of the driver's side and/or passenger side airbags. Once deployed, airbags can not be reused. Instead, new airbag components must be purchased and reinstalled in the vehicle by trained technicians. The cost is considerable. A typical airbag replacement (not including "shell" damage to the dashboard) can run anywhere from $1000 to $3000 or more per airbag to replace. So it's not hard to imagine some less reputable used car dealers choosing to stuff a few rags back into the airbag compartment in order to save costs.
While many States prohibit the sale of a used car known to contain fake or inoperative airbags, our research did not disclose any Federal laws requiring a deployed airbag to be replaced with a new system. Eric J. Parker, a Massachusetts attorney who routinely represents individuals seriously injured in Massachusetts car accidents, believes the problem may only get worse during these difficult economic times. "In tough economic times, some people cut corners, risking human life in the name of personal profits" says Parker. "As the saying goes - caveat emptor".
So what's a used car buyer to do? For one thing, research the car's vehicle history as carefully as possible. Companies like "Carfax" for a fee offer a printed history of the vehicle based on the car's unique V.I.N. (Vehicle Identification Number). Such reports often provide information on prior insurance claims involving the vehicle. While these reports may not prove whether your used car contains a functional or fake airbag, it is fair to assume that the more accidents the car was involved in, the higher the potential for fraud. Again, buying from reputable dealers is likely to decrease your chances of buying a car with a missing airbag system.
If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a car accident involving airbags that failed to deploy, call us at 617-886-0500 seven days a week. There is never a fee charged to discuss your potential case with one of our experienced attorneys.
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