We're here to help you make your airbag injury compensation claim
The last thing you expect is for a safety device to injure you but, unfortunately, this is an all-too-common occurrence. In some instances, airbag injuries are caused by reckless behaviour from other road users. In others, injuries occur as a result of manufacturers producing defective airbags. Whatever the details of how you received your airbag injury, you could be entitled to make a no win no feeclaim for compensation if it was someone else's fault.
We understand the physical and psychological suffering that an airbag injury can cause - which is why we're here to help you seek compensation and get back on your feet. To find out more about how we could help you, give us a call on or request a call back from one of our friendly experts.
Can airbags cause injury?
Airbags are mandatory safety features intended to protect drivers and passengers by inflating rapidly and forcefully in the event of a road traffic accident. They aren't designed to guarantee that you won't suffer any injuries from a crash whatsoever; rather, they're designed to prevent more serious injuries or even fatal injuries that might occur otherwise.
Yet there are situations in which you might suffer an airbag injury through someone else's negligence. All drivers have a duty of care towards other road users under the Road Traffic Act 1988. If another driver's negligence caused your airbag to deploy and you suffered injuries as a result, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim.
What if my injury was caused by a defective airbag?
Defective airbags can be extremely dangerous, causing injuries that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. This includes if your airbag didn't deploy in an accident or your injury was from an airbag deployment that was unnecessary or happened at the wrong time. There are a variety of reasons why airbags can be defective, including:
- Design flaws
- Mistakes made while fitting the airbag
- Substandard manufacturing or assembly processes
- Omitted warning labels
- Incorrect safety instructions in the user manual
Manufacturers have a duty of care to ensure that their airbags operate as intended and follow expected standards. They're usually responsible if the airbag that caused your injury was defective in some way.
Meet the team
John Kushnick
Legal Operations Director of National Accident Law
With extensive personal injury legal and senior management experience, John oversees the optimisation of the customer journey - from the start of a claim through to final settlement.
View profileMeet the teamWhat are some common airbag injuries?
Airbags deploy with a lightning-fast force to cushion your body against the impact of a collision. They need to be powerful to keep you safe. Yet it's this same aspect that leads to them causing a wide range of injuries that an airbag, including but not limited to:
- Burn injuries from the airbag's high-temperature gases
- Injuries to the chest, sternum or ribs
- Injuries to the internal organs such as the heart or lungs
- Injuries to the arms and hands if they were raised when the airbag deployed
- Head injuries such as a concussion, fractured skull or brain damage
- Face injuries such as bruising and abrasions from the force of the airbag inflating
- Eye injuries or infections caused by the airbag's chemical propellant
- Respiratory infections caused by the airbag's chemical propellant
- Hearing loss from the sound pressure of the airbag deploying
Am I eligible to make an airbag injury compensation claim?
If you think the airbag injury you sustained was the result of someone else's negligence, then it's worth discussing your circumstances with one of our friendly advisors. It will be helpful if you can describe the physical and psychological toll that your injury has taken on you. We know how distressful it can be to relive your experience, so rest assured that our experts will listen to your account patiently and compassionately.
Once they've listened to what happened and how it has affected you, they'll be able to tell you whether they think you're eligible to make a compensation claim for your airbag injury.
How much compensation could I get for an airbag injury claim?
Every airbag injury case is unique, so it's difficult to tell you exactly how much your claim could be worth without understanding your individual circumstances.
If you do decide to make an airbag injury claim and are successful, then the compensation you receive will be calculated to help you return to the physical, mental and financial position you were in before the incident. It's split into two categories:
- Special damages - Based on the financial losses you've incurred as a result of the injury, including travel costs, loss of earnings and medical expenses
- General damages - Based on the physical and psychological suffering that the airbag injury caused you
Recommendations on compensation amounts for general damages are outlined in the Judicial College Guidelines. Our expert solicitors will refer to these when calculating how much compensation your airbag injury claim could be worth.
If you want to find out how much you might be able to claim, use our compensation calculator below for a rough estimate.
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Frequently asked questions...
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to make a claim on behalf of a loved one. For instance, you can claim on behalf of your child if they were injured and under the age of 18.
You may also be able to claim on behalf of an injured person who's suffered head or brain trauma, or someone who has a pre-existing medical condition which means they are unable to make a decision themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is in place to protect vulnerable parties and help people establish when a person lacks capacity to make their own decision.
If you are claiming on behalf of a loved one, it is important you have all the details of their accident and medical treatment. A personal injury solicitor will be able to take you through this and explain how the compensation claim process works in these situations.
If your loved one has died due to an accident that wasn't their fault, we understand how difficult it can be to cope. While we can't take back what happened, we can help you to claim compensation which may relieve some of the financial pressure you're facing.
It's easy to start a claim with National Accident Law. Simply contact our team to discuss your case. We'll talk through the details of your injury, accident and recovery. We will get a full understanding of your case and the impact it has had on your life.
Our team of personal injury specialists will then assess whether you have a claim and advise you on what to do next. Don't worry, we will never pressure you to make a claim. The choice is entirely up to you.
Our expert Team of litigators and personal injury solicitors will answer any further questions you might have and help you to start your claim. They can also provide you with more information about our no win no fee agreement.
Every claim we handle is different and that makes it hard for us to say how long your compensation claim might take. However, the bulk of the claims we handle are relatively short in duration.
In simpler cases where fault is clear and undeniable, the claim may be settled quickly, and even disputed claims can be negotiated to a settlement in approximately 12 months.
However, if you've suffered a serious or life-changing injury then your compensation claim may take longer. This is because we need to understand its full impact and make sure your future rehab or treatment costs are adequately covered.
You can rest assured that we will stay in touch with you throughout the process so that you'll always know how things are progressing.
Yes, there is a time limit for making an injury claim. Under most circumstances, you will have three years from the date of the accident to make a compensation claim.
What evidence do I need to provide for an airbag injury claim?
To help give your airbag injury compensation claim the best chance of success, you'll need to provide as much supporting evidence as possible. This includes:
- Photographic evidence - of your airbag injuries, the site of the incident and the vehicles involved
- Dashcam footage - from your own vehicle or any vehicle fitted with a dashcam that stopped at the scene of the incident
- Police reports - if police were called to the scene of the incident that caused your airbag injury, then the information they recorded could help support your claim
- Witness statements - speak to anyone who was present when the incident happened and ask them to recall and write down what they saw
- Medical records - from medical attention you sought for your airbag injuries after the incident and any consultations since
- Financial records - proof of the costs and expenses you've incurred as a result of your airbag injury will help demonstrate how you've been affected
Speak to our airbag injury solicitors
If you've suffered an airbag injury that wasn't your fault, your first instinct might not be to try to claim compensation. But doing so could be just what you need to help you cope with and recover from what happened to you.
If you want to talk to someone about how your injury has affected you, feel free to get in touch with our team for some free and impartial advice. Give us a call on or request a call back at a time that suits you. Alternatively, if you're ready to take the first step towards seeking compensation for your airbag injury, simply start your claim online.