I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHY IS THIS THE CASE?

Airbags are not designed to deploy (or inflate) in every type of accident. Frontal airbags are only intended to deploy during a major frontal collision and do not typically activate in accidents involving impacts to the undercarriage of a vehicle (which can occur when a vehicle hits an animal, curb, pothole, or some other hazard).

Side airbags are supposed to deploy in many types of accidents but only usually activate on the side of the impact. Some side curtain airbags are designed to deploy during side-impact or rollover crashes to help prevent ejection.

If you were involved in a frontal or side-impact accident and your airbags did not deploy, there is a good chance something is wrong with your vehicle. A defect may have prevented your airbags from deploying as intended, potentially causing more serious injuries than what you would have sustained had they worked as designed.

Your airbags may have failed to deploy because of:

• Defective crash sensors
• Defective electronic deployment signal from your vehicle’s computer
• Bad wiring or inflators

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON SAFETY BELT FAILURES?

When you put on your seatbelt, you expect it to keep you safe and secure should you encounter any turbulence on the road – including the impacts of a direct collision. There are several reasons your safety belt may not work as intended when subject to immense force. If you believe your seatbelt did not work properly during a car accident, it is important to have the status of the seatbelt documented as soon as possible.

Safety belt system failures include:

• Inertial unlatching, where a defective seatbelt buckle may become unlatched during an accident
• Seatbelt retractor failure, resulting in a seatbelt that fits loosely around the occupant
• False latching, where a defective seatbelt only appears to be latched
• Seatbelt breakage, where the seatbelt webbing itself tears or frays
• Pre-tensioner failure, where an inertial assist to lock a seatbelt during a crash fails

WHO IS LIABLE FOR A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG OR SEATBELT?

These matters fall under product liability laws. Our defective airbag and seatbelt attorneys will conduct a full investigation, ascertain liability, and gather the evidence needed to prove negligence.

Many defects that prevent airbags from deploying or cause seatbelts to fail are due to manufacturing mistakes, design flaws, and the use of inadequate materials. To win a product liability lawsuit involving airbags or seatbelts, you must prove that the existence of a design or manufacturing defect made the vehicle unreasonably dangerous. You must also establish the defect caused (or worsened) injuries sustained in an accident.

Depending on the nature of the defect and other factors, one or more of the following parties may be liable for your injuries:

• The defective airbag or seatbelt’s manufacturer
• The defective airbag or seatbelt’s installation or testing team
• The defective airbag or seatbelt’s designer
• The vehicle’s manufacturer

WHAT DAMAGES CAN I RECOVER IN A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG OR SEATBELT LAWSUIT?

Once you have determined liability, you can proceed with legal action. However, you will need to act quickly, as each state enforces statutes of limitations for product liability cases. You will only have a certain amount of time from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit.

Our defective airbag and seatbelt lawyers will fight to get you compensation for monetary and non-monetary damages, including:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost income and earning capacity