A Defective Airbag Or Seatbelt Can Turn A Survivable Crash Into A Catastrophic One

Airbags and seatbelts exist to limit injury in a crash. When they fail to work as designed, an otherwise survivable collision can turn into something far worse.

These cases are different from an ordinary claim because the injury may not have been caused only by the other driver. It may have been caused, or made worse, by a defective piece of safety equipment in the victim's own vehicle.

Defects that show up in these cases:

• Airbags that fail to deploy: A sensor malfunction or wiring issue can prevent deployment during a serious impact.
• Airbags that deploy improperly: Excessive force or shrapnel from a defective inflator can cause its own injuries.
• Seatbelt failures: A belt that unlatches during impact removes the primary restraint system entirely.
• Pretensioner failures: Systems meant to tighten the belt on impact that fail to activate leave slack that increases injury severity.

These claims often exist alongside the claim against the at-fault driver, which means more than one party may share responsibility for the same crash.

If you were seriously injured in a crash where you suspect the airbag or seatbelt didn't work the way it should have, did anyone examine the vehicle for a possible defect?