Who is Liable for Defective Airbags Injuries in Florida?

Vehicle safety features are designed to protect you in the event of a crash, with airbags serving as a critical line of defense. When airbags deploy properly, they can prevent serious injuries and save lives. However, defective airbags can cause devastating injuries ranging from minor burns to fatal trauma.

We at Dismuke Law have handled numerous cases involving defective airbag injuries throughout Florida. Understanding who bears legal responsibility in these complex cases is crucial for victims seeking compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Automobile Manufacturers and Their Liability

Car manufacturers have a legal obligation to ensure their vehicles meet safety standards and are free from defects. When airbags malfunction, automobile manufacturers may be held liable for several reasons:

• Design flaws in the airbag system or its integration with the vehicle
• Manufacturing defects that occurred during vehicle production
• Inadequate testing protocols for airbag deployment scenarios
• Failure to issue timely recalls when defects are discovered
• Improper installation guidance provided to dealers and service centers

Under Florida’s product liability laws, victims can pursue claims against manufacturers even without proving negligence. This “strict liability” standard means that if the airbag was defective when it left the manufacturer’s control and that defect caused injury, the manufacturer may be held responsible regardless of how careful they were in production.

Vehicle manufacturers often try to shift blame to component suppliers, but many courts recognize the ultimate responsibility rests with the company that assembled and sold the complete vehicle.

Airbag Manufacturers and Parts Suppliers

While car manufacturers bear significant responsibility, the companies that specifically design and produce airbag systems may share or bear primary liability:

• Companies that designed flawed airbag deployment mechanisms
• Manufacturers that used substandard or contaminated materials
• Suppliers that cut corners on quality control procedures
• Parts makers that failed to test components under real-world conditions
• Third-party suppliers that misrepresented the capabilities of their products

Recent widespread recalls involving millions of vehicles with defective airbags have highlighted how a single component supplier can impact the safety of numerous vehicle brands. When these specialized manufacturers produce defective parts, they may be directly liable to injured consumers even though there is no direct purchase relationship.

Pursuing claims against major parts suppliers often requires extensive technical knowledge and litigation resources, as these cases typically involve international corporations with sophisticated legal defenses.

Car Dealerships and Repair Facilities

In some cases, liability for airbag injuries extends to businesses that sell or service vehicles:

• Dealerships that knowingly sold vehicles with recalled airbags
• Repair shops that improperly installed or reset airbag systems
• Service centers that disabled airbag functions without proper warning
• Facilities that installed counterfeit or unauthorized airbag components
• Businesses that failed to properly inspect airbag systems during maintenance

Florida law imposes responsibilities on dealers to disclose known defects and complete mandatory recall repairs before selling vehicles. Similarly, repair shops must meet professional standards when working on safety-critical systems like airbags.

When dealerships or repair facilities deviate from these obligations, they may create additional liability separate from manufacturer’s responsibility. This is particularly important in cases involving used vehicles with aftermarket repairs or modifications.

Previous Vehicle Owners’ Potential Liability

Although less common, prior owners of a vehicle may sometimes bear partial responsibility for airbag injuries:

• Owners who ignored multiple recall notices for airbag defects
• Individuals who tampered with or modified the airbag system
• Sellers who concealed known airbag problems during private sales
• People who attempted DIY repairs on airbag components
• Previous owners who reinstalled deployed airbags improperly

Florida law requires private sellers to disclose known defects that could affect safety. While this can be difficult to prove, evidence that a previous owner knowingly concealed airbag issues could establish liability, particularly in private vehicle sales where consumer protection laws offer fewer safeguards.

Government Regulatory Agencies and Their Role

While government agencies typically cannot be sued directly for regulatory failures, their actions can influence liability in defective airbag cases:

• Documentation of manufacturer compliance with safety standards
• Records of defect investigations and findings
• Timing and enforcement of mandatory recalls
• Communications between regulators and manufacturers about safety concerns
• Inspection requirements for vehicle safety systems

Information from agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) often becomes critical evidence in establishing when manufacturers knew or should have known about airbag defects. These regulatory records can help establish liability timelines and demonstrate negligence in addressing known safety issues.

How We Can Help With Your Defective Airbag Injury Case

At Dismuke Law, we have extensive experience investigating and litigating defective airbag cases throughout Florida. Our team works with automotive engineering experts, accident reconstructionists, and medical professionals to build compelling cases that demonstrate the full extent of liability and damages.

If you’ve suffered injuries from a defective airbag, don’t face these powerful companies alone. Contact Dismuke Law today for skilled representation from attorneys with a proven track record of successfully holding manufacturers accountable for dangerous products. Call us at (863) 250-5050 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation about your potential claim.