A jury in California has awarded $21 million in damages to two sisters who sued Nissan over a defective airbag that they claim caused serious brain injury to one of them. Shanel Salinas and her sister Nicole were involved in a collision with a drunk driver in 2014 and accused Nissan of using a defective design in the passenger-side airbag that resulted in Shanel’s head injury.
However, the jury rejected arguments that the so-called “dead zone” in the passenger side airbag of the 2011 Altima caused Shanel’s head to impact the “B-pillar” of the car. Nissan maintained that the airbag functioned properly and that Shanel’s injuries were not as severe as claimed in the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer expressed disappointment in the jury’s decision to clear Nissan on design defect claims. The verdict comes after a trial that began in mid-April and was recorded gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.
The Nissan airbag defect lawsuit highlights the importance of addressing product defects that can lead to serious injuries and underscores the need for legal representation in such cases. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury due to a defective product, contact the Brain Injury Help Center for legal assistance.
