WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE MANUAL REAR TAILGATE GAS-CHARGED LIFT STRUTS/STAYS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE REAR TAILGATE TO FALL ON THE OCCUPANT WITH SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT AND VELOCITY, CAUSING MINOR HEAD INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INSPECTED ROUGHLY 2 WEEKS PRIOR AND NO SIGNS OF IMMINENT FAILURE WERE DETECTED. NO SAFETY MECHANISM EXISTS TO PREVENT THE TAILGATE FROM FALLING IN THE EVENT OF LIFT SUPPORT FAILURE.