Can You Seek Compensation for Airbag Injuries?

Airbags save lives, but they can also cause serious injuries of their own. 

When an airbag deploys with excessive force, deploys unnecessarily, or fails to deploy at all, the resulting harm can be just as significant as the crash itself. If you were hurt by an airbag, you may be wondering whether you have any legal options.

At Mulembo Law PLLC, we are proudly serving Tucson and all of Arizona, and the short answer is yes, in many cases you can pursue compensation. 

Whether your claim is against the other driver, your own insurance, or the vehicle manufacturer depends on what actually went wrong.

Common Types of Airbag Injuries

Airbags deploy in a fraction of a second and with a great deal of force, which means even a properly functioning airbag can cause injury. 

Common airbag related injuries include:

• Facial cuts, bruising, and fractures
• Chest and rib injuries, including bruised or fractured ribs
• Chemical burns from the propellant used to inflate the airbag
• Eye injuries, including corneal abrasions or, in severe cases, vision loss
• Neck and spinal injuries from the sudden force of deployment
• Hearing damage from the loud noise of deployment
• Traumatic brain injuries, particularly when metal fragments or debris are involved

In some cases, these injuries come from a properly working airbag doing exactly what it is designed to do in a violent collision. 

In other cases, the airbag itself was defective, which changes who may be held responsible.

When Is an Airbag Injury Just Part of the Accident?

If your airbag deployed as intended during a crash and you were injured in the process, your claim generally falls under a standard car accident case. 

You can pursue compensation from the at fault driver’s insurance for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, just as you would for any other injury from the collision. 

Arizona’s pure comparative negligence rule under A.R.S. § 12-2505 also means you can still recover damages even if you share some fault for the accident, with your award reduced by your percentage of responsibility.

When Is an Airbag Defect a Separate Claim?

Sometimes the airbag itself is the problem, not just the crash. 

This can include:

• Excessive force deployment: The airbag inflates with far more force than necessary, causing injuries more severe than the crash alone would have caused.
• Shrapnel or rupture: Some airbag inflators, most notably those involved in the Takata recall, have been known to rupture and send metal fragments into the vehicle cabin.
• Failure to deploy: A defective sensor or system failure prevents the airbag from deploying at all during a collision where it should have.
• Unnecessary deployment: The airbag deploys during a minor bump or non-crash event, causing injury without any real collision.

When a defect in the airbag or its components causes or worsens your injuries, you may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer, separate from any claim against the other driver. 

These cases often involve vehicle recall records, engineering analysis, and manufacturer knowledge of the defect, which is why early legal guidance matters.

What You Should Do If You Were Injured by an Airbag

• Seek medical attention and keep records of all treatment related to the airbag injury
• Do not repair or dispose of the vehicle until it has been inspected
• Check your vehicle’s VIN against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall database
• Take photos of the deployed airbag and your injuries
• Keep the deployed airbag and any related vehicle parts if possible
• Speak with an attorney before accepting any settlement offer from an insurance company

How Our Firm Can Help

Sorting out whether your airbag injury is part of a standard accident claim or a separate product liability case takes a careful review of what happened and why. 

Our team can evaluate your accident, identify all potentially responsible parties, and pursue the full compensation available to you. 

Learn more about how we handle these cases on our Auto Accident service page, part of our broader Personal Injury practice.

Talk to a Tucson Personal Injury Attorney Today

If an airbag injured you in a crash anywhere in Tucson or elsewhere in Arizona, do not assume your only option is dealing with the insurance company on your own.

Call Mulembo Law PLLC today at (520) 462-5110 or schedule a consultation online to find out what compensation you may be entitled to.