An Intersection Collision, Airbag Defect, and Eye Injury: Priscilla’s Story

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Priscilla was driving through a busy intersection and had a green light. Out of nowhere, she heard screeching tires and felt a sudden crushing impact to her vehicle. The other driver had run a red light and smashed into her.

The Car Accident

The airbag on the passenger side of Priscilla’s car deployed correctly and effectively, and her passenger was not hurt. However, Priscilla’s airbag did not deploy correctly. Her left eye began to swell immediately.

While receiving medical attention for her injuries after the crash, doctors discovered that the impact of the airbag had caused Priscilla’s retina to detach in her left eye. This injury resulted in significant problems with driving, headaches, and eye strain. According a retinal expert, she needed to have surgeries for cataracts and a vitrectomy, with costs upwards of $10,000.

The intersection collision occurred at a high rate of speed and caused an impact strong enough to deploy the airbags in both vehicles. Karen sustained a number of injuries to her jaw, chest, ankle, and — most significantly — to her wrist, which was broken in two places.

These injuries also caused substantial barriers in her daily life. Impaired vision and pain can affect important functions like being able to spot hazards and quickly react to them, but it can also make even the most mundane tasks more aggravating. Impaired vision increases risks for falls, injuries, and even death — in addition to being associated with increased depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. Adding pain into the mix only made things worse.

With mounting medical bills, a totaled car, ongoing medical care needed for her eye, and a complicated insurance system, Priscilla knew she needed help.

Priscilla was referred to Crosley Law and was immediately happy with her decision to hire them to handle her case.

“Everyone was really friendly and he was willing to help,” she said. She was confident her case was in good hands.

A Complex Car Accident and Vehicle Defect Case

Crosley Law had a great deal of previous experience with this type of case, which provided them with a roadmap to help get Priscilla the justice she deserved.

“Priscilla’s was an interesting case because even though it involved an intersection collision, which, by itself, is not that unusual,” said Tom Crosley, “it was complex in that her injury was caused by a late airbag deployment.”

The malfunction in the airbag caused a retinal detachment in Priscilla’s left eye. And even though it was treated, it caused a permanent and significant blind spot in the center of her eye, greatly reducing her visual field

A major wrinkle in this case was the complexity of liability since the root cause of the accident was another driver’s carelessness, but the severity of her injury was a result of a defect caused by the car’s manufacturer. Crosley Law sought justice for Priscilla by going after both the at-fault driver and the car manufacturer.

Crosley Law hired one of the country’s top automotive engineers to evaluate Priscilla’s case. The engineer previously worked for a major U.S. automaker and helped build the case around the car manufacturer and airbag defect.

“We were able to make a solid case that, had the airbag done what it was supposed to do, it would have deployed in a manner that would have prevented Priscilla’s injuries,” said Tom. “Because it deployed late, her body had already moved so close to the steering wheel that it deployed into her eye with a hundred miles an hour of force, causing her retinal detachment.”.

It can be difficult and intimidating for any law firm to go after large, powerful manufacturers when seeking justice for clients; however, Crosley Law had the tools, resources, experience, and expertise to fight for Priscilla.

After a year and a half, Priscilla settled with both the at-fault driver and the car manufacturer. While nothing will give Priscilla her full vision back, she has regained some of her financial security and achieved a sense of closure in the wake of her crash and injury.

“I was very happy with the outcome of my case,” Priscilla said. “I had a very good experience [with Crosley Law].”

Crosley Law Firm’s Happy Clients

Priscilla is one of many highly-satisfied Crosley Law clients.

“If I know anyone who’s been in an accident, right away I tell them, ‘you need to call him because he’s really reliable and dependable,’ ” she said.

Like all of Crosley Law Firm’s clients, Priscilla regularly received updates about the status of her case and always felt like it was moving forward. She didn’t have to worry: Crosley Law always had her best interests in mind.

Working with Crosley Law Firm

If you or someone you love has sustained a life-altering injury from a car crash caused by someone else’s careless behavior, contact the attorneys at Crosley Law Firm. We aggressively pursue justice and compensation for the victims in car accidents. Call our offices today at (210) LAW-3000 or fill out our convenient online contact form so we can schedule your free consultation. We’ll listen to the details of your case and help you decide your best course of action.