To most people, serious injuries sustained in automobile collisions are usually associated with high-impact collisions resulting in severely damaged or completely destroyed vehicles. However, seemingly minor impacts can also result in debilitating injuries. That was the case for Maria Gaytan.

In January 2004, Gaytan was involved in a collision near Hermiston that would be described by most people as a simple fender bender. After receiving a green light at an intersection, the vehicle in front of her accelerated but then stopped suddenly forcing Gayton to hit the back of it. Unfortunately, the airbag in her 2002 Dodge Neon deployed unnecessarily and with extreme force, crushing her right eye. Gaytan was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the collision, and if the airbag had not fired during the crash, she would have suffered no injuries.

Although damage to both cars was minimal, the damage to Gaytan’s eye was catastrophic. The unfolding bag slammed Gaytan in the face, smashing apart her glasses and rupturing the globe of her eye. After surgeons made every attempt to save the eyeball (vision was lost forever on impact), it was surgically removed and replaced with a prosthesis.

With the help of Lawrence Baron, Gaytan filed a claim against manufacturer DaimlerChrysler for a defectively designed airbag sensor system. Experts retained by Baron reported the single point sensor system in the 2002 Neon was at the heart of the problem. The sensor not only ordered the airbag to fire late, it caused the airbag to launch despite the fact that the collision was not severe enough to warrant deployment.

Baron’s experts argued that an effective sensor system should have sensors located at the front of the vehicle so that there can be early reception of a crash signal and a proper interpretation of it. DaimlerChrysler settled the case when Baron presented his evidence of the defective nature of the manufacturer’s airbag deployment system.

Thanks to Baron's help, Gaytan received compensation for her medical bills and the permanent loss of her right eye.