We trust that if the worst happens, our car’s safety features will protect us. The airbag is supposed to be that final cushion, the last-second guard meant to soften a devastating impact. But what if it doesn’t work? Or worse, what if it becomes a danger itself?
It’s a frightening thought, but it’s real. Millions of cars have been recalled because their airbags could explode, sending sharp metal fragments flying.
Not all defects make the news with a massive recall. Sometimes an airbag just fails to inflate when it should. Other times, it deploys with violent, misplaced force, causing airbag injuries like broken bones, severe cuts, vision loss, or traumatic brain injury. You survive the crash, but the very device meant to protect you leaves lasting harm.
If this has happened to you or a loved one, you’re likely dealing with a defective product. That changes the situation entirely.
You may have grounds for an airbag injury lawsuit. Holding the right people accountable is possible. At EOL.Law, we help people in your exact situation untangle the facts, pinpoint the real cause, and pursue the compensation needed to recover. Contact us to understand your options and what your next steps could be.
Faulty airbags have caused serious accidents and injuries across the country. The Takata recall, the largest in automotive history, affected over 67 million vehicles and led to deaths and countless injuries.
At a Glance
Why This Still Matters
Airbag problems are still a real risk. Even years after the massive Takata recall, millions of airbags remain unrepaired, and new issues continue to pop up.
Takata Airbags
New Recalls (2025–2026)
Other Airbag Risks
You can check if your car is affected by looking up your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Airbags can go wrong in a few ways, and each can cause serious injuries. Some airbags never inflate, some go off at the wrong time, and some explode from faulty parts. Cars from Takata, Volkswagen, Stellantis, and other brands have all had issues.
Deployment Problems
Inflator and Material Issues
Sensor and Component Problems
Defective airbags can hurt much more than a typical airbag would in a normal crash. When they fail, rupture, or deploy too forcefully, the results can be serious.
Head and Face Injuries
Neck and Spine Injuries
Chest and Breathing Problems
Skin, Arms, Legs, and Internal Injuries
Even minor crashes can cause serious harm if the airbag goes off incorrectly. Understanding the kinds of injuries airbags can cause helps you see why a defective airbag lawyer may be able to help and whether you have an airbag injury lawsuit.
If a faulty airbag caused or worsened your injuries, what you do in the days after the crash matters. Here are practical actions to protect your health and your rights:
An airbag injury lawsuit is when someone files a claim because a defective airbag in their car caused an injury or death. The claim can involve the car manufacturer, the company that made the airbag, or other suppliers.
These lawsuits usually focus on airbags that didn’t inflate, went off too forcefully, or broke apart and sent metal shards flying. If the airbag caused your injuries, you could get compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other costs. Some cases also include additional damage to hold the companies responsible for serious mistakes.
If a defective airbag hurt you, the law gives you ways to hold the right people responsible. Most cases rely on product liability, which means the manufacturer can be liable even if they were not careless as long as the airbag was defective and caused your injury. Other claims, such as negligence or breach of warranty, can add strength to your case.
How Product Liability Works
You do not have to prove anyone was careless. You only need to show the airbag was defective, reached you as it was made, and caused your injury.
Common defects include:
Liability can apply to the car maker, the airbag manufacturer, distributors, and installers.
Other Ways Manufacturers Can Be Liable
What You Will Need to Prove
Keep in mind your state’s time limits. Usually, you have one to four years to file a claim.
It’s simpler than you might think. Here’s the path your case will take.
See a doctor immediately. Tell them the airbag caused your injury. Then, take clear photos of the airbag, your car’s interior, and your injuries. Keep all records. Call a lawyer early. There’s a deadline to file, and they need time to investigate the defect and preserve the evidence.
Your lawyer drafts the official complaint. They will lay out the defect, your injuries, and who’s responsible. They will also handle all the paperwork, almost always on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless they win.
Both sides share evidence. Most cases settle here. Your defective airbag lawyer will negotiate to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and the personal impact of your injuries.
Your case may go to trial if a fair settlement isn’t possible. There, a judge or jury decides the outcome. Whether it ends at the negotiating table or in the courtroom, your defective airbag guides you through every step.
The clock for filing a defective airbag lawsuit starts ticking from the day you get hurt or from when you first realize the airbag caused your injury. In Pennsylvania, you usually have 2 years to take action. This applies to the car maker, the airbag manufacturer, or any supplier. Miss the deadline, and you could lose your chance to get compensation.
Some situations give extra time. Minors, people who are unable to act for themselves, or wrongful death cases can get extensions. If the defect didn’t show up right away, the “discovery rule” may also apply. After a crash, act fast. Keep your car and airbag as they are, save any evidence, and speak with a Pennsylvania defective airbag lawyer to make sure you don’t miss your chance to file.
If a defective airbag hurt you, several people or companies could be responsible. Liability often extends across the supply chain, depending on the evidence, crash details, and recall history.
Primary Manufacturers
Secondary Parties
Other Possible Liable Parties
Liability can be shared among any responsible parties, and sometimes cases are resolved through class actions when multiple people are affected.
If a defective airbag hurt you, the law allows you to recover what you’ve lost, both the concrete costs and the real impact on your life. Here’s what that can include.
The Bills You Can Add Up (Economic Damages)
These are your out-of-pocket, documented financial losses:
The Personal Cost (Non-Economic Damages)
This compensates for the real, human toll that doesn’t come with a receipt:
Holding Them Accountable (Punitive Damages)
In cases where a company knowingly ignored a dangerous defect or acted with extreme recklessness, the court may award punitive damages. This is a penalty meant to punish the manufacturer and force change.
The goal is to make you financially whole again and to acknowledge everything you’ve been through. A settlement or verdict should cover both the bills on your counter and the weight on your shoulders.
Airbags are supposed to keep you safe. Sometimes they don’t, and people get seriously hurt. If that happened to you or someone you love, it helps to get a lawyer who understands these cases. EOL.Law has been handling defective airbag claims for years.
We can help you figure out if your injuries were caused by a faulty airbag, who may be responsible, and what steps you need to take next. Airbags aren’t meant to hurt anyone, and when they do, you have the right to hold the responsible parties accountable.
Call EOL.Law to talk about your situation and see what options you have. We offer a free consultation and can explain the next steps in plain terms.
Yes, an airbag can cause burns. The deployment happens in a split second, producing a lot of heat and friction. Most burns are minor, like a bad rug burn, but deeper ones can occur. It’s wise to have a doctor check any burn from an airbag to be safe.
You could sue if the injury resulted from a clear defect or someone else’s serious negligence. For example, a lawsuit might follow if a recalled airbag explodes with too much force. Speaking with a defective airbag lawyer is the best first step to understand your options. These cases are complex and need strong proof.
Airbag injury compensation is money meant to cover your costs and losses from the injury. This includes medical bills, lost wages, and payment for your pain and recovery time. The amount of your compensation depends heavily on how severe and lasting your injuries from airbags are.
His career began in public service as a Surveillance Officer in Maricopa County, where he gained firsthand experience in high-stakes decision-making and developed a deep sense of discipline and accountability. He later served as Chief Operating Officer of a fast-growing law firm, driving efficiency, revenue growth, and team development. Today, Ryan focuses on helping law firms reach their full potential by aligning people, processes, and long-term vision. A strategic thinker and empowering leader, Ryan is passionate about developing others and guiding organizations through meaningful, lasting growth.
Passionate about securing legal rights, Joseph actively participates in pro bono work through various organizations, including Christian Legal Aid of Pittsburgh and the ABA Military Pro Bono Project. Licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, he is a member of the Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Outside of work, Joseph enjoys sports, reading, and creative writing, and has been involved in rowing and curling. He resides in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, with his parents.
Nicholas began his post-graduate career clerking for the Honorable Linda Rovder Fleming in the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas. From there, he quickly found his calling in workers’ compensation, personal injury, and Social Security disability law—areas where he could directly impact people’s lives in moments of crisis. He’s helped clients navigate complex legal claims, including securing a settlement exceeding $300,000.
Nicholas brings clear communication, genuine empathy, and an unrelenting drive to achieve the best outcomes for his clients. Whether he’s navigating a complex workers’ comp claim or pushing for a major settlement, he brings focus, dedication, and deep legal knowledge to every case.
He’s also a proud member of Pennsylvania Advocates for Justice and remains active in various professional legal organizations. Nicholas is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.
When he’s not fighting for the injured, Nicholas is enjoying time with his family, kicking a soccer ball around, hitting the golf course, or cheering on Pittsburgh’s local teams.
Joe Ring heads the workers’ compensation department at Ethen Ostroff Law, where he takes pride in fighting for injured workers.
Joe is a Philadelphia native and maintains deep roots in the area. As the grandson of a Philadelphia Firefighter, son of a Philadelphia public school teacher, and veteran of the United State Marine Corps, he was taught to value service, dedication, and hard work. He applies these values to every case and takes great satisfaction in representing hard-working clients with those same traits.
After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in history from St. Vincent College in Western Pennsylvania, he graduated from Villanova Law School in 2012 and, since then, has litigated hundreds of workers’ compensation hearings and trial depositions on behalf of both employers and injured workers. During this time, Mr. Ring has written articles and presented Continuing Legal Education courses on developments in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law. He is active in local professional organizations, and, in 2022, he served a Co-chairperson of the Philadelphia Bar Associations Workers’ Compensation Section.
Since coming to EOL in 2024, he has dedicated his practice entirely to helping injured workers navigate the system and obtain their rightful benefits.
Joe is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania.
Brandon Zanan heads the personal injury claim department with Ethen Ostroff Law.
Brandon’s education in both law and medicine assist him in expertly representing badly injured victims. Brandon has a Master’s Degree in Forensic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, with a concentration in anatomy and pathology. With this knowledge, Brandon is skilled at analyzing medical records and understanding injuries that are common in personal injury claims. He uses this expertise in conjunction with listening carefully to each client’s needs, in order to fiercely advocate for clients and tell their stories when they would not otherwise have a voice.
Brandon’s background includes a variety of experience and skills in various areas of civil practice. He is the author and editor of numerous books for the George T. Bisel Publishing Company, including “Pennsylvania Damages” and the “Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Annotated,” two texts that are frequently relied on by lawyers and judges across Pennsylvania as authoritative resources on personal injury law.
Brandon is a member of the Pennsylvania and Montgomery Bar Associations. He is also a member of Pennsylvania Association for Justice, and has served as an executive board member of the Montgomery American Inn of Court.
He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Middle District of Pennsylvania, the State of New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Brandon has represented many clients in motor vehicle, premises liability, animal bite, and products liability cases across Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has obtained outstanding results with millions of dollars recovered for his clients.
He has been named a Pennsylvania Rising Star from 2021 onward. The “Super Lawyers-Rising Star®”, list recognizes no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state
Brandon currently lives in Malvern with his wife Rachel and their son Max.
Effective Date: July 10, 2024
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