NHTSA Complaint #10342611 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION THAT OCCURRED IN MY 2001 HONDA CIVIC ON JULY 14, 2009. I WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE AIRBAG FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON JULY 14, 2009. GOING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, I REAR-ENDED A VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED FOR A LIGHT. THE FRONT OF MY HONDA SMASHED IN, THE WINDSHIELD WAS SMASHED, AND THE FRONT END AND COMPARTMENT COMPRESSED TO THE POINT THAT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT, THE STEERING WHEEL JAMMED INTO MY CHEST WITH GREAT FORCE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INFLATED, BUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND NOT REPAIRABLE. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE WITH SEVERE CHEST CONTUSIONS, AND WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 2 WEEKS IN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN. FOR MONTHS, I SUFFERED WITH LARGE HEMATOMAS ON MY BREASTS, SEVERE BRUISING, AND INTENSE PAIN. TO THIS DAY, MY BREASTS ARE DEFORMED AND LUMPY FROM MONTHS OF HEMATOMAS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT I WILL HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS FOR MANY YEARS, IF NOT FOREVER. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOTH MY INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE. *TR