Do I Have a Case If My Airbags Didn’t Deploy in an Accident?

The National Center for Statistics and Analysis estimates that more than 44,869 lives are saved every year by frontal airbags deploying?

Whether if you were the cause of a car accident or if you were the victim of one, when you purchase a vehicle, you expect all of the features that are installed inside of the car to be effectively functioning. Measures like your airbags and your seatbelts are installed in vehicles to keep you and your loved ones safe.

What happens if your airbags didn’t deploy in an accident? Depending on the severity of the accident that you were involved in, you or your loved ones could have received life-changing injuries such as spinal injuries, skull fractures, internal damage to your organs, or even death.

Making a claim against the company that manufactured the airbag is possible. If you’re wondering how to go about pursuing legal action against the responsible parties, we’ve created this guide to answer any questions that you may have.

Please keep reading to learn how one of our dedicated Cerritos lawyers can help you seek damages from a defective airbag.

When Should an Airbag Deploy?

Since the year 1998, frontal airbags have been standard inside of all passenger vehicles. Vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks received standard airbags inside of all vehicles beginning in 1999. All of these vehicles also came installed with airbags located on the side of the vehicle.

Airbags were created to deploy when there is a moderate to severe crash, to prevent the individuals inside of a vehicle from hitting into a hard object that could potentially result in injury.

Not many people are aware that there are certain situations where airbags are not supposed to deploy. These situations include:

• Accidents involving hitting an animal
•  Minor frontal collisions
•  Rear-end collisions
•  T-Bone
•  A rollover
•  Accidents wear a sign, parking block, or curb is hit
•  Impact with bumps or potholes on the road

If you are involved in one of these types of accidents, your airbag should not have deployed. They’re also may be some situations where your airbag has deployed when it shouldn’t have. If you were injured as a result of your airbag deploying at an inappropriate time, feel free to contact one of our personal injury lawyers to learn if you are entitled to any legal claim.

What to Do If Your Airbag Didn’t Deploy in an Accident

If your airbags failed to deploy in an accident that was more severe than any of the above-listed situations, you might be able to file a claim against the producer of the airbag.

Some of the most common types of claims that you can file if your airbags failed to deploy include:

Marketing Defects

Marketing defect Claims can be included if the airbag was not properly labeled. You can also include a marketing defect claim if your airbag didn’t come with proper instructions or warning labels.

Design Defects

Design defect claims can be included if there was a defective design to the product.

Manufacturing Defects

If a design of the airbag is safe, but it wasn’t properly manufactured, this is a claim that you can include in your lawsuit. In the majority of circumstances, manufacturing defects are easy to prove come as you are a legal representative can show that the manufacturer did not follow the requirements for that specific design.

Common Injuries From Airbags Not Deploying

There are some situations where an airbag may explode as a result of an accident.

The risk factors of an improperly functioning airbag can include an increased risk of life-changing injuries and potentially death. There are many different ways that you can be injured as the result of a malfunctioning airbag. Some of the most common injuries include:

Face Injuries

When you are in a car accident, your face may hit the dashboard or the windshield if the airbag hasn’t deployed. Not only could this leave your face damaged, but it could also be permanent scarring.

Depending on the accident’s unique circumstances, if the airbag fails to deploy, you could end up breaking some of the bones in your face. You could also potentially have your eyes injured, leading to an increased risk of permanent loss of vision.

Chest Injuries

A malfunctioning airbag can cause soft-tissue damage and broken bones in the chest area. Without an airbag to soften the damage caused by an accident, you may suffer from herniated discs, whiplash, sprains, strains, or even spinal cord damage.

Internal Injuries

Other possible injuries resulting from an airbag not being deployed in an accident include internal bleeding. There’s an increased potential of you fracturing your ribs, which can potentially puncture major blood vessels or internal organs.

What to Do If Your Airbags Didn’t Deploy in an Accident

It could be complicated for you to prove why your airbags didn’t deploy in an accident. Seeking the help of a professional attorney that is knowledgeable in this area will help you to determine why your airbags failed to deploy.

If you were injured as a result of an airbag not deploying in an accident, you will need the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney. There are many legal options available to you, so be sure to call our office to learn how we can help you. We offer free consultations, so don’t be afraid to call.

Our team of lawyers has the experience and the resources needed to litigate even the most challenging defective airbag claims.