The aftermath of a head-on car crash can be overwhelming. If your airbags didn’t deploy in the accident, you may be wondering what to do next.
What you should do if your airbags didn’t deploy in a front-end collision includes calling the police, taking photos of your vehicle, visiting a doctor, and refraining from making any repairs or alterations to your vehicle.
Recovering damages for a car crash can be difficult, even if the accident wasn’t your fault. Our Marietta head-on collision lawyer will help you build a strong claim and obtain the compensation you deserve.
What Should You Do If Your Airbags Didn’t Deploy in a Front-End Collision?
The actions you take immediately after a car accident are crucial. If your airbags did not deploy in a front-end collision, you should:
- Call law enforcement: A police report creates an official record of the accident and may include details about the severity of the collision and the damage to your vehicle.
- Document the accident scene: If you are able, take photographs of your vehicle, the point of impact, the interior of the car, and the steering wheel, dashboard, and airbags that failed to deploy.
- Seek medical attention: Even if you feel relatively fine, you should still see a doctor. Some injuries, including concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage, may not produce symptoms right away.
- Preserve your vehicle: Do not rush to repair or dispose of your car. The vehicle itself may become critical evidence if experts need to inspect the airbag system.
- Report the accident to your insurance company: Notify your insurer promptly, but avoid speculating about why the airbags failed until your vehicle has been inspected.
- Keep all medical records: Save bills, diagnostic reports, treatment records, and documentation of any ongoing symptoms related to the accident.
- Speak with our car accident lawyers: If you suffered serious injuries, our car accident lawyers will investigate your accident and determine who is responsible for your damages.
Who Is Liable If Airbags Failed to Deploy?
Liability for defective airbags depends on why the airbags did not deploy in your front-end collision. Potentially responsible parties may include:
- The vehicle manufacturer
- The airbag manufacturer
- A company that designed defective components
- A repair shop that improperly serviced the airbag system
- A parts supplier that manufactured defective components
How Do You Prove That the Airbags Should Have Deployed?
Establishing that your car’s airbags should have deployed usually requires more than simply showing they remained inside the steering wheel or dashboard.
Types of evidence that may help prove the airbags were defective include:
- The police report
- Photographs of vehicle damage
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Event Data Recorder (EDR) information
- Airbag diagnostic codes
- Vehicle inspection reports
- Accident reconstruction reports
- Medical records documenting your injuries
- Witness statements
- Repair and maintenance records
Are Airbags Supposed to Deploy in Every Head-On Crash?
No, airbags are not supposed to deploy in every head-on crash. Modern vehicles use sophisticated crash sensors that analyze several factors before deploying the airbags, including:
- The speed of the collision
- The force of the impact
- The direction of the impact
- Whether the impact meets the deployment threshold
Since every car accident is different, the absence of airbag deployment does not automatically indicate negligence or a defective product.
Why Didn’t My Airbags Deploy?
Many people assume airbags should inflate during every front-end crash. However, airbag systems are designed to deploy only under specific conditions.
Your airbags may not have deployed because:
- The impact occurred below the deployment threshold.
- The collision angle was not one that triggered the front airbags.
- The crash primarily involved another part of the vehicle.
- The sensors did not detect enough deceleration.
- The vehicle experienced a previous repair that affected the airbag system.
- A defective sensor or electronic component prevented deployment.
- The airbags or control module contained a manufacturing defect.
What Injuries Can Occur If Airbags Don’t Deploy?
Airbags help reduce the force experienced by the occupants of a vehicle during a crash. Without them, occupants may strike the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, or other interior components with much greater force.
Common injuries in these head-on crashes where airbags don’t deploy include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Facial fractures
- Eye injuries
- Broken noses
- Dental injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Chest injuries
- Rib fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Shoulder injuries
- Broken arms or wrists
- Knee injuries
- Leg fractures
How Will Our Head-On Collision Lawyers Help?
Airbag failure cases are often more complicated than standard car accident cases. Our head-on collision lawyers will assist with your case by:
- Investigating the accident: We will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and obtain crash reports to determine what happened.
- Identifying all liable parties: We will investigate your accident to determine who is at fault for both the collision and, if appropriate, the defective airbags.
- Calculating your damages: We will evaluate both your current losses and future financial needs and calculate your claim’s value.
- Working with experts: If necessary, we will consult accident reconstruction specialists, engineers, or other experts to determine whether the airbags should have deployed.
- Handling insurance companies: We will communicate with insurers on your behalf and work to negotiate a fair settlement.
- Representing you in court: If negotiations fail and a lawsuit becomes necessary, we will take your case to court and represent you at trial.
Talk to Our Head-On Collision Attorneys
While there are legitimate reasons airbags may not activate during a crash, that failure can also indicate negligence. Our head-on collision attorneys at Jones & Swanson will investigate your case, identify who is responsible for your injuries and other losses, and help you recover damages.
Schedule a free case evaluation to discuss your accident with our lawyers.
