Airbags are designed to save lives. For many drivers and passengers, they do. But in some cases, airbags deploy with excessive force, fail to deploy at all, or malfunction in other ways, causing serious harm instead of preventing it. These failures are not random. They often stem from manufacturing defects, poor design, or a company’s decision to cut corners.
At Ashby Thelen Lowry, our Atlanta personal injury attorneys help injured clients across Georgia hold automakers accountable when faulty airbags lead to life-altering injuries.
How Airbags Can Cause Harm Instead of Providing Protection
Airbags deploy milliseconds during a crash, inflating with explosive force to cushion the body and reduce impact-related injuries. When they work correctly, they can reduce the risk of severe injury or death. But when they don’t, the results can be catastrophic.
Common airbag-related failures include:
- Unexpected deployment while driving, causing the driver to lose control.
- Failure to deploy when a collision meets the threshold for activation.
- Overly aggressive deployment, leading to broken bones, facial injuries, or internal trauma.
- Shrapnel or chemicals from defective inflators can cause burns or puncture wounds.
These issues are especially dangerous for children, smaller adults, or individuals seated near the dashboard or steering wheel.
Understanding Manufacturer Liability in Defective Airbag Cases
Automakers are legally obligated to ensure that their vehicles and the components within them are reasonably safe for consumers. Under Georgia product liability laws, the manufacturer may be held liable when a design flaw or production error leads to an airbag-related injury.
Common causes of airbag defects include:
- Design flaws that make the airbag too powerful or too weak.
- Faulty sensors that misread crash data and prevent deployment.
- Improper installation during manufacturing.
- Substandard materials used in inflators or modules.
In high-profile cases like the Takata airbag recalls, millions of vehicles were found to have dangerous components that could explode when deployed. These were not isolated incidents—they reflected widespread negligence across the supply chain.
Why Legal Action Is Often the Only Way to Secure Accountability
Large automakers and their suppliers have vast legal teams and insurance companies working to minimize liability. Victims often face uphill battles when proving the airbag was defective, especially if vehicle damage makes reconstruction difficult or the company claims the injury was unavoidable.
At Ashby Thelen Lowry, we take a different approach. Our team conducts in-depth investigations, works with engineering experts, and gathers critical evidence to prove when a defect caused serious harm.
We pursue compensation for:
- Emergency and long-term medical expenses.
- Lost income or diminished earning capacity.
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
- Permanent disfigurement or disability.
We prepare every case for trial from day one, often resulting in more substantial settlements or verdicts.
Talk to a Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Who Knows How to Take on Automakers
If you’ve been seriously injured due to a malfunctioning airbag, you deserve answers—and the opportunity to hold the manufacturer accountable. At Ashby Thelen Lowry, we have the resources and experience to take on complex product liability cases and win. Contact us today for a free consultation. We may be able to help you recover the compensation you need to move forward.