Advice please re query airbag failure.

Fruity1

Hi,

Just after a bit of advice please. I was in a head on collision a week ago at 35mph. The majority of the front of my car is caved in. The assessor said it is to be written off & I am waiting for confirmation of this. I was the driver and wearing a seatbelt. The air bag was not activated and I suffered a fractured sternum. The majority of people who have seen photographs of my car are horrified that the bag was not activated and have said I should claim against the car manufacturer. What are people's opinions please? The car was less than 3 years old, airbags had not been deactivated and it had only been serviced by the dealer.

nobbysn*ts

Yes, find a decent injury solicitor, (not a general claims4u type of outfit) and get a claim made. Who's fault was the accident?

YorkshireBoy

So your sternum was fractured when your chest hit the steering wheel, rather than by the seat belt doing it's job and restraining you?

force_ten

how did you suffer a fractured sternum?

did you hit the steering wheel or was your injury from the seatbelt ?

nobbysn*ts

It'll be a seat belt injury, it's the classic injury air bags help prevent.

cootuk

Air bags only go off if set conditions are met - your crash may not have met the conditions as the rest of the vehicle absorbed the impact.
You walked away from it. The car didn't.

Fruity1

Accident was my fault, I had a coughing fit & hit a tree. No other parties injured. I hit the steering wheel. Not on my phone or doing anything I shouldn't have been. I just have a lot of people telling me I should be taking action about it. Thank you for your comments.

topdaddy_2

Id be inclined to think the air bag wasnt supposed to go off in these conditions. But what result were you looking for from your accident? A not fractured sternum Im presuming?

nobbysn*ts

Get a decent injury lawyer. You were responsible, but the airbag should have gone off and reduced your injuries, so it's worth a shot.

PintAndAPie

If you hit the steering wheel you are very lucky that the air bag did not go off, it would most likely have killed you. I would be questioning why the seat belt did not prevent you from striking the steering wheel.

nobbysn*ts

PintAndAPie wrote: »

If you hit the steering wheel you are very lucky that the air bag did not go off, it would most likely have killed you.

How would a safety device that is designed to slow you hitting the wheel kill you, if you hit the wheel because it malfunctioned?