Queens Airbag Failure Attorney

Our Queens airbag failure attorneys hold manufacturers accountable when airbags fail to deploy or deploy with dangerous force. Call 718-268-8800.

Airbags are designed to protect vehicle occupants during a crash, but when they fail to work properly, the consequences can be devastating. An airbag that does not deploy, deploys unexpectedly, or deploys with excessive force may cause serious injuries or fail to prevent them altogether. If you were injured because of a defective airbag in Queens, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a product liability claim, a car accident claim, or both. 

At Davidoff Law, our Queens airbag failure attorneys help injured victims hold negligent parties accountable. Call (718) 268-8800 today for a free consultation.

Why Choose Davidoff Law for Your Queens Airbag Failure Case?

Airbag failure cases are often more complex than ordinary car accident claims because they may involve defective vehicle components, engineering issues, and multiple liable parties. At Davidoff Law, we thoroughly investigate every case to determine whether a defective airbag contributed to your injuries and pursue the maximum compensation available under New York law.

When you choose our firm, you benefit from:

• Extensive experience handling complex personal injury and product liability claims.
• Thorough investigations into vehicle defects and crash evidence.
• Collaboration with accident reconstruction and engineering experts when necessary.
• Trial-ready representation if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
• No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Our legal team is committed to protecting your rights while you focus on your recovery.

How Common Are Airbag-Related Injuries?

Airbags have significantly improved vehicle safety over the past several decades, but defective airbags and deployment failures continue to cause serious injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• Frontal airbags have saved more than 50,000 lives in the United States since they became widely available.
• Airbags reduce the risk of death in frontal crashes by approximately 29% for drivers and 32% for front-seat passengers when used with seat belts.
• Despite these safety benefits, defective airbags and faulty airbag components have led to major vehicle recalls affecting millions of vehicles.

Although airbags are designed to reduce the severity of injuries, defects in their design, manufacture, or deployment systems can expose occupants to significant harm.

What Is an Airbag Failure?

An airbag failure occurs when an airbag does not perform as intended during or before a collision. While many airbags function properly, defects or malfunctions may prevent them from providing the protection they were designed to deliver.

Common types of airbag failures include:

• Failure to deploy during a crash.
• Deployment without a collision.
• Delayed deployment.
• Deployment with excessive force.
• Defective inflator explosions.
• Sensor or electronic system failures.

Determining whether an airbag malfunction contributed to your injuries often requires a detailed inspection of the vehicle, crash data, and the airbag system itself.

What Types of Airbag Defects Can Cause Injuries?

Not every airbag failure occurs for the same reason. Some defects prevent the airbag from deploying, while others cause the airbag itself to become the source of the injury.

Airbag Fails to Deploy

An airbag that fails to deploy during a qualifying collision may leave occupants without critical protection, increasing the risk of severe head, neck, chest, and facial injuries.

Airbag Deploys Without a Collision

Unexpected airbag deployment can startle drivers, obstruct their vision, and cause them to lose control of the vehicle. It may also result in burns, fractures, facial injuries, or other physical harm.

Delayed Deployment

An airbag that deploys too late may provide little or no protection because the occupant has already struck the steering wheel, dashboard, or other interior surfaces.

Excessive Deployment Force

Airbags inflate extremely quickly, but they should do so in a controlled manner. Excessive deployment force may cause serious injuries, particularly to children, smaller adults, or occupants who are seated close to the steering wheel or dashboard.

Defective Airbag Inflators

Some airbag inflators have been linked to catastrophic failures in which metal fragments are propelled into the passenger compartment during deployment. These defects have resulted in severe injuries and fatalities and have prompted some of the largest automotive recalls in history.

Sensor or Electronic Failures

Modern airbag systems rely on sensors and electronic control modules to determine when deployment is necessary. If these components malfunction, the airbags may fail to deploy, deploy unnecessarily, or activate improperly during a crash.

What Injuries Can Airbag Failures Cause?

Although airbags are intended to reduce injuries, defective airbags can cause serious harm or fail to prevent injuries that otherwise could have been avoided.

Some of the most common injuries are:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Facial fractures
• Eye injuries
• Neck and spinal injuries
• Chest and rib injuries
• Burns and abrasions
• Internal organ injuries
• Hearing damage
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Muerte por negligencia

The severity of these injuries often depends on the nature of the defect, the force of the collision, and whether other vehicle safety systems functioned properly.

Who Can Be Held Liable for an Airbag Failure?

Airbag failure claims often involve multiple potentially responsible parties. Depending on how the defect occurred, liability may extend beyond the driver who caused the crash.

Potentially liable parties may include:

• Vehicle manufacturers
• Airbag manufacturers
• Component or parts manufacturers
• Vehicle parts suppliers
• Automobile dealerships
• Repair facilities that improperly serviced the airbag system

Determining liability requires a thorough investigation into the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance, and performance of the airbag system. In many cases, more than one company may share responsibility for the injuries suffered.

How Do We Prove an Airbag Failure Claim?

Airbag failure cases often require extensive technical and medical evidence. Unlike a typical car accident claim, it is not enough to show that a collision occurred. You must also establish that the airbag system was defective or malfunctioned and that the defect contributed to your injuries.

Our personal injury attorneys work to establish:

1. The airbag contained a defect or malfunction: The airbag may have failed to deploy, deployed unexpectedly, deployed too late, or malfunctioned in another way.
2. The defect contributed to your injuries: We gather evidence showing that the airbag failure caused your injuries or made them significantly worse than they otherwise would have been.
3. The product was being used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable manner: Most product liability claims require showing that the vehicle and airbag system were being used properly at the time of the collision.
4. You suffered compensable damages: We document your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses resulting from the airbag failure.
5. Expert analysis supports your claim: These cases often involve accident reconstruction specialists, engineers, and other experts who analyze the vehicle, crash data, and airbag components to determine why the system failed.

Because critical evidence can be lost if a damaged vehicle is repaired or destroyed, preserving the vehicle in its post-accident condition is often an important part of the investigation.

Can You File Both a Car Accident Claim and a Product Liability Claim?

Yes. In many cases, an injured person may have both a motor vehicle accident claim against the negligent driver and a product liability claim against the manufacturer or another company responsible for the defective airbag.

For example, another driver's negligence may have caused the collision, while a defective airbag caused additional or more severe injuries by failing to deploy properly. In that situation, different parties may be responsible for different aspects of your damages.

Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve:

• The negligent driver who caused the crash.
• The vehicle manufacturer.
• The airbag manufacturer.
• A component or parts manufacturer.
• Another company involved in designing, manufacturing, or distributing the airbag system.

Pursuing all available claims may increase the compensation available and help ensure every responsible party is held accountable.

What Compensation May Be Available?

If an airbag failure caused or worsened your injuries, you may be entitled to recover compensation for both your financial losses and the personal impact of your injuries.

Daños económicos

Economic damages may include:

• Gastos médicos
• Future medical treatment
• Rehabilitation costs
• Salarios perdidos
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Daños materiales
• Other out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries

Daños no económicos

Depending on the circumstances, you may also recover compensation for:

• Dolor y sufrimiento
• Angustia emocional
• Permanent disability
• Disfigurement
• Pérdida del disfrute de la vida

Daños punitivos

Punitive damages are not available in every case. However, they may be awarded in limited circumstances if the manufacturer's or another defendant's conduct demonstrates a reckless disregard for the safety of consumers. Whether punitive damages are appropriate depends on the facts of the case.

How Long Do You Have to File an Airbag Failure Lawsuit in New York?

In most cases, New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) § 214(5) provides three years from the date of the injury to file a product liability lawsuit seeking compensation for personal injuries.

Although three years may seem like a long time, it is important to act quickly. The vehicle should be preserved whenever possible because the airbag system, electronic control module, and other components may become critical evidence during the investigation. Repairing, salvaging, or disposing of the vehicle too soon may make it more difficult to prove your claim.

Contact Our Queens Airbag Failure Attorney for a Free Consultation

A defective airbag can turn a survivable collision into a life-changing event. If you were injured because an airbag failed to deploy, deployed unexpectedly, or malfunctioned during a crash, contact Davidoff Law today at (718) 268-8800 for a free consultation. 

Our experienced Queens airbag failure attorneys can investigate your case, identify the responsible parties, and fight for the full compensation you deserve.