Airbag Injuries After a Car Accident

Colburn Law

Posted by Greg Colburn in Car Accidents on October 31, 2025

Greg Colburn

personal injury lawyer

When people think about vehicle safety, they often picture seat belts, advanced braking systems, or collision alerts; yet one of the most overlooked concerns after a crash involves airbag injuries. These powerful devices are essential in saving lives, but the explosive force required for them to work can sometimes lead to burns, fractures, or other serious complications. Such injuries can disrupt recovery, increase medical expenses, and spark complicated insurance disputes in Washington State.

At Colburn Law – Accident and Injury Lawyers, we provide guidance to those facing these challenges, helping them understand their legal options and pursue the compensation they deserve after a serious accident.

How Do Airbags Work?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, airbags are meant to work alongside seat belts and deploy within milliseconds during moderate to severe crashes to create a protective cushion that helps prevent serious head and chest injuries.

Their effectiveness depends heavily on how occupants are positioned. Seat belts keep drivers and passengers properly aligned, allowing the airbag to inflate against the upper body rather than striking someone who has shifted forward. Safety experts also emphasize that children under 13 should ride in the back seat to remain out of reach of a deploying airbag.

When these precautions are followed, airbags work as intended and provide one of the most effective safeguards against life-threatening injuries in a collision.

Are There Safety Risks to Being Hit by an Airbag?

Yes, airbags can cause injuries under certain conditions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety explains that the energy needed to inflate an airbag can be powerful enough to injure people seated too close or thrown forward just before deployment. While contemporary airbag systems are significantly safer than earlier models that activated with excessive force, potential hazards persist, especially during high-velocity impacts.

Problems are most common when a driver sits less than 10 inches from the steering wheel, a passenger leans forward, or a child rides in the front seat. In these cases, the impact of the airbag itself, combined with chemical propellants and heat, can create injuries that require immediate medical attention. Even though airbags save countless lives, drivers in Washington should be aware that they may also become a factor in insurance disputes after a crash.

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How Do I Stay as Safe as Possible When It Comes to Airbags?

The safest approach is to combine airbags with proper seating and seat belts, creating layers of protection that work together during a crash. Drivers should keep at least 10 inches between their chest and the steering wheel, while passengers should sit upright with their backs against the seat, keeping feet and arms away from the dashboard.

Wearing a seat belt correctly ensures the airbag deploys at the proper distance, reducing the force of impact on the body. For pregnant drivers, moving the seat farther back and tilting the steering wheel downward helps limit abdominal pressure and adds peace of mind. Safety also depends on consistent vehicle care, including regular maintenance, prompt repairs, and checking for manufacturer recalls to confirm airbags will function as intended.

By following these straightforward steps, drivers and passengers can lower the chances of an airbag causing injury during a Seattle car accident and maintain stronger overall protection on the road.

Common Types of Airbag Injuries in Seattle Car Accidents

Despite their protective design, airbags can cause a range of injuries in car accidents, with some being relatively minor while others demand surgery, rehabilitation, or extended medical treatment. In Washington, any of these conditions may be considered when determining damages in a personal injury claim, including medical costs, lost wages, and long-term impacts.

Airbag injuries commonly fall into the following categories:

Facial Fractures and Trauma

Blunt impact from a rapidly expanding airbag can cause broken noses, jaw fractures, dental damage, and facial bruising or lacerations, especially when someone is seated too close to the steering wheel or dashboard. In severe cases, these injuries may require reconstructive surgery, ongoing medical monitoring, or long-term dental treatment that significantly disrupts daily life and recovery.

Chemical Burns

Airbag deployment involves chemical reactions that create gases to inflate the cushion, and the heat and powder residue released in the process can burn exposed skin on the face, arms, or chest. While some burns are superficial, others may cause permanent scarring and significantly increase the value of pain and suffering damages in a Washington claim.

Eye Injuries

Debris, chemicals, and blunt force from an airbag can damage vision, with fabric, gas, or broken glass scratching the cornea, detaching the retina, or even causing temporary blindness. Because Washington law requires proof of medical damages in personal injury cases, scheduling an immediate eye exam after a crash is essential, as early documentation of vision problems strengthens any injury claim.

Chest and Thoracic Injuries

The chest is especially vulnerable to airbag pressure, and drivers may suffer rib fractures, bruised lungs, or heart contusions when struck by a rapidly inflating device. Older adults and those with pre-existing conditions face an even greater risk, and because these injuries can mimic symptoms of a heart attack or respiratory distress, Washington emergency rooms often treat them as urgent emergencies.

Hearing Damage

The sound of airbag deployment can exceed 160 decibels, loud enough to cause tinnitus, ruptured eardrums, or permanent hearing loss. Because these injuries are often overlooked in the days after a crash, they can create lasting disruptions to quality of life, and claims for hearing damage typically require audiology evaluations as evidence.

Can I Reuse a Deployed Airbag?

Airbags are designed for one-time use, meaning they cannot be reset or repacked after deployment. Once activated, the system must be replaced by a certified technician, and the expense can be considerable. In many cases, insurance policies will cover the replacement when the airbag deployed during a crash.

Operating a car without a working airbag system puts everyone at greater risk and can complicate liability in any future crash. In Washington, replacing a deployed airbag promptly not only keeps the vehicle in line with safety standards but also protects its value, ensures passenger protection, and provides lasting peace of mind on the road.

Contact a Seattle WA Personal Injury Lawyer

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Get Help from a Washington State Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Airbags save lives but can also create serious complications that shape medical recovery and insurance claims under Washington’s negligence and comparative fault laws. Because insurers may argue that injuries are unrelated to the crash or exaggerated, Colburn Law – Accident and Injury Lawyers builds strong evidence around airbag injuries to secure fair compensation for victims across Seattle and throughout Washington State.

Call 206-823-4953 today to schedule a free consultation and discover how our legal team can protect your rights and long-term financial security.

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Sean S.

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If you only contact one lawyer after an accident I would tell you to contact Greg Colburn

What Can I Say – Greg put in a vast amount of effort to accomplish what I thought would be an impossible feat . He was able to get the result I wanted and the settlement I could have only dreamed of – If you only contact one lawyer after an accident I would tell you to contact Greg Colburn and you wont be sorry !!!! Thank you So very Much

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