Jon Mani | January 26, 2026 | Car Accidents
Airbags are designed to save lives during car accidents by cushioning occupants from hard surfaces. However, when an airbag deploys, it signals a severe impact and can also cause injuries of its own.
If you were involved in a crash in Charleston, WV, you may wonder how airbag deployment affects your personal injury claim. This article explains why airbag deployment matters, what injuries it can cause, and how to build a strong case.
How Airbags Work
Airbags are inflatable cushions hidden in the steering wheel, dashboard, and sometimes side panels. When sensors detect a sudden deceleration, they send a signal to inflate the bag within milliseconds. The bag fills with gas, absorbs energy, and then deflates quickly to prevent suffocation.
While this rapid action can save lives by preventing contact with the windshield or steering column, it also means tremendous force is involved. Understanding how airbags function helps explain why deployment can both protect you and contribute to injuries, laying the groundwork for your claim.
Why Airbag Deployment Matters in a Claim
When an airbag deploys, it generally means the collision was strong enough to meet the sensor’s threshold for activation. Insurance adjusters and jurors often view deployment as evidence that the crash was severe and that injuries could be significant.
This can strengthen your claim by supporting your description of the impact and your medical complaints. On the other hand, some insurers may argue that airbags prevented serious harm and downplay injuries that still occurred.
Knowing how deployment will be interpreted helps you and your lawyer present your case effectively. It can be both a protective measure and a source of injury, too.
Injuries Associated With Airbag Deployment
Although airbags save lives, they can cause a variety of injuries, especially if you are sitting close to the steering wheel or not wearing a seatbelt properly. Common injuries include:
- Burns and abrasions: The fabric and chemicals used to inflate the bag can cause friction burns or chemical irritation on the face, chest, or arms.
- Fractures and sprains: The explosive force of deployment can injure hands, wrists, or forearms if they are on the steering wheel at the moment of impact.
- Facial injuries: Broken noses, dental damage, or eye injuries may occur if the face hits the bag hard.
- Hearing problems: The loud explosion when the airbag inflates can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
- Internal injuries: The force may exacerbate existing conditions or contribute to bruising and organ damage, especially in smaller passengers.
Being aware of these possibilities reinforces why you should seek medical care after any accident involving airbag deployment.
The Effects of Airbag Deployment in Your Claim
Airbag deployment shows that a collision was forceful enough to trigger the safety system, which can support your car accident claim in Charleston, WV. However, deployment alone does not determine fault or guarantee compensation.
Injuries such as burns, fractures, and hearing loss are possible, and you must still prove the other driver was negligent. West Virginia’s comparative fault rules mean that your recovery can be reduced if you are partly responsible for the crash.
Contact the Charleston Car Accident Lawyers at Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers To Schedule a Free Consultation
By seeking immediate medical care, documenting the scene, and working with an experienced attorney, you can build a strong case. Understanding how airbag deployment impacts your claim helps you navigate the legal process and pursue the compensation you deserve.
If you need help after a car accident in West Virginia, contact Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers today. We offer a free consultation with a Charleston car accident lawyer.
We proudly serve clients throughout Franklin County from our Columbus, OH, office and throughout Kanawha County from our Charleston, WV, office.
Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers – Columbus, OH Office
20 E Broad St Suite 1000, Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 587-8423
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 39.96270905583009, -82.99956356191063
Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers – Charleston, WV Office
10 Hale St Suite 501, Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 720-1000
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 38.348382927211865, -81.635109451865
About the Author
Jon Mani is a founding partner and personal injury attorney at Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers. With over 20 years of experience representing injured individuals in West Virginia and Ohio, Jon focuses on complex cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, nursing home abuse, catastrophic injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. He is known for his strategic, hands-on approach to litigation and has held leadership roles within the legal community, including serving as President of the West Virginia Association for Justice. Click here to see some of the firm’s most notable case results.
Locations: Charleston, WV, and Columbus, OH
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