South Carolina Airbag Injuries Lawyers

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Airbags save thousands of lives, yet a defective airbag can turn one crash into two: the first with another vehicle and the second with a nylon cushion that explodes at almost 200 mph. When airbag injuries occur, victims soon learn that modern supplemental restraints work alongside seat belts but can create new hazards if they misfire or fail.

A proper airbag deployment protects the chest and head. However, a faulty airbag can rupture, fire shrapnel, or inflate with too much force. These failures produce serious injuries ranging from eye trauma to internal bleeding and even fatal injuries. Before the dust settles, medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress can overwhelm a family already coping with pain.

If you or a loved one has suffered airbag injuries in any South Carolina car accident, get help from the injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, and we will help you demand every dollar the law allows.

How Airbag Technology Works and How Defects Create Different Failure Modes

Every system relies on three parts:

Airbag module: fabric bag, inflator, and cover hidden in the steering wheel, dash, seat, or roof rail.
Crash sensor: measures deceleration and tells the module that a car crash is happening.
Diagnostic unit: the computer that checks the system each time the vehicle starts.

However, there are many ways the system can fail. A cracked inflator weld lets moisture inside, causing propellant to degrade, explode, and fire metal through faces and necks. A mis-calibrated crash sensor can trigger unnecessary deployment, causing injuries without impact. A faulty diagnostic unit may clear the warning light even though the system is disabled, leaving occupants unprotected during the next collision.

In short, airbags work only when each component does its job in milliseconds.

South Carolina Product-Liability Basics: How Joye Law Firm Proves Your Airbag Case

South Carolina recognizes three product-liability theories that let injured drivers and passengers seek compensation:

Theory	What It Means	Examples of Airbag Claims
Design defects	The product is unsafe.	The inflator uses an unstable propellant that degrades.
Manufacturing defects	Something went wrong on the line.	Faulty sensors, bad welds, or contaminated propellants create one airbag defect among thousands.
Failure to warn	Not enough instructions or warnings.	No notice that a minor crash can trigger the passenger bag.

Our personal injury attorney team downloads crash data, inspects the airbag module, diagnostic unit, and crash sensor, and reviews medical records to determine whether injuries came from the collision or the defective component. Once the defect is clear, every business in the chain, such as manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or shop, can be held liable.

Counterfeit Airbags and Improper Installation: Hidden Dangers After Repairs

A growing black market trade in counterfeit airbags has led to explosions, non-deployment, and fresh airbag accidents long after the original recall. Non-authorized repair facilities sometimes install the wrong module entirely, creating delays or outright failure. Always verify replacement work with an authorized dealer, request part numbers, and keep service receipts in case injuries occur from improper installation.

Airbag-Related Injuries in South Carolina (Why They Happen and Who Gets Hurt)

Even in a minor crash, an airbag deploys with violent energy inside a closed cabin. Victims often suffer:

Chest contusion and rib fractures
Head injuries (traumatic brain injury and concussion compression)
Cervical spine fracture and whiplash-type damage
Eye injuries and loss of vision
Knees strain when legs hit the dashboard
Lasting emotional distress

What to Do If You’ve Been Injured by an Airbag

Seek immediate medical care and insist every symptom you’re experiencing is written in your chart.
Report the defect to NHTSA and the vehicle manufacturer.
Preserve the vehicle and do not let the insurer repair or scrap the vehicle until an airbag injury lawyer inspects the evidence.
Collect evidence including pictures of the steering wheel, shards, witness statements, and the crash report.
Contact an attorney promptly. South Carolina gives you three years to file a product liability claim. If you miss the deadline, you may lose the right to pursue compensation.

Individual Lawsuits vs. Class Actions and MDL

Airbag injury victims have several legal pathways. Some file individual lawsuits to recover damages specific to their injuries. Others join class actions that focus on economic loss or MDLs (multi-district litigations) that combine and streamline discovery for multiple victims all injured by the same product. Joye Law Firm can assess your options and can recommend the best one for your airbag deployment injuries.

How Joye Law Firm Builds Strong Airbag Cases

At Joye Law Firm, we take airbag injury cases seriously because we understand how devastating these accidents can be. Our approach is built on careful investigation, solid legal work, and a clear focus on what’s best for our clients. Here’s how we handle these cases step by step.

1. Starting with a Careful Review of the Accident

We begin by learning exactly what happened. That means looking closely at police reports, medical records, black box recordings, and photos of the crash scene. We also talk with our client to understand how the airbag behaved, did it fail to deploy? Did it deploy too forcefully or at the wrong time? These details matter and help us determine whether the airbag or another part of the safety system was at fault.

2. Working with Trusted Professionals

Airbag cases often require input from people who understand vehicle safety systems. We work with engineers and accident reconstruction professionals who can tell us how the airbag should have worked and what likely went wrong. Their input helps us build a clear picture of the defect and how it contributed to the injury.

3. Identifying the Responsible Parties

Once we know how the airbag failed, we look at who is legally responsible. This could be the vehicle manufacturer, the company that made the airbag, or even a repair shop that serviced the system. We gather the evidence needed to show that something went wrong and that it should have been prevented.

4. Proving How the Injury Affected Our Client

It’s not enough to show that the airbag failed., We also need to show how it hurt our client. That means documenting medical treatment, how the injury has affected day-to-day life and any long-term impact. We often work with doctors and life-care planners to make sure the full picture is clear.

5. Being Prepared for Trial, Even if a Case Settles

Most cases are settled before going to court, but we prepare every airbag case as if it will go to trial. This gives us a stronger position when negotiating with insurance companies and manufacturers. It also ensures we’re ready if the other side refuses to take responsibility.

6. Keeping the Client Informed

We believe in being honest and direct with our clients. That means regular updates, explaining options in plain language, and answering questions as they come up. We don’t make promises we can’t keep, and we always give a realistic picture of what to expect. We won’t leave you hanging, and strive to return all client phone calls and messages within one business day.