When a Takata airbag explodes instead of deploying normally, the result can be devastating. These events are not typical airbag deployments. A defective Takata inflator can rupture violently, sending sharp metal fragments into the passenger compartment and causing severe or fatal injuries in crashes that otherwise would have been survivable.

Knowing what to do after a Takata airbag explosion is critical. The actions taken in the minutes, hours, and days following the incident can directly affect medical outcomes, evidence preservation, and your ability to pursue compensation. Many victims unknowingly lose key evidence or miss legal deadlines because they do not immediately realize the airbag itself was defective.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention — Even If Injuries Seem Minor

Your health comes first. After any airbag deployment involving a suspected Takata inflator rupture, seek emergency medical care immediately, even if injuries appear minor.

Takata-related injuries often involve:

• Deep penetrating wounds from metal shrapnel
• Embedded inflator fragments
• Facial, neck, or eye trauma
• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injury

Metal fragments can remain lodged in tissue, and internal injuries may worsen over time. Emergency responders and medical providers should be told that the airbag may have ruptured, not simply deployed.

Ask that all injuries be carefully documented, including:

• Photographs of wounds
• Imaging studies (X-ray, CT, MRI)
• Surgical findings
• Notes identifying metal fragments

Medical records frequently become the foundation of a Takata airbag injury case.

Preserve the Vehicle and Airbag Components Immediately

One of the most critical—and most commonly missed—steps after a Takata airbag explosion is preventing the destruction of evidence.

Insurance companies often move quickly to declare vehicles a total loss and send them to salvage yards. Once the vehicle is destroyed, crucial defect evidence is permanently lost.

You should:

• Tell your insurer not to destroy or salvage the vehicle
• Don’t Surrender the Title to them until after you have sought legal advise
• Request written confirmation that the vehicle will be preserved
• Avoid signing salvage releases without legal review
• If necessary, arrange independent storage
• Do Not Allow anyone to remove the airbag or inflator

The vehicle, steering wheel, dashboard, deployed airbag, inflator housing, and metal fragments are often the strongest proof that a Takata inflator ruptured.

Secure and Document Physical Evidence

In addition to preserving the vehicle, document everything you can as early as possible.

Important evidence includes:

• Photographs of the interior damage
• Photographs of the Exploded or Damaged Airbag / Cushion
• Images of blood patterns and shrapnel impact points
• Photos of injuries at multiple stages of healing
• Save the clothing worn at the time of the crash
• Metal fragments removed during surgery

If metal fragments or shrapnel are surgically removed, request that they be preserved and not discarded. These fragments can be matched to the inflator during expert analysis.

This type of documentation supports both medical treatment and product liability claims.

Check Your VIN and Recall Status

After a Takata airbag explosion, check the vehicle’s VIN immediately. The VIN helps determine:

• Whether the vehicle had an open Takata airbag recall
• Whether the inflator was subject to a Do Not Drive warning
• The inflator type and recall history

Many victims only discover their vehicle was recalled after the injury occurs. That discovery does not eliminate legal options, particularly when the airbag defect caused or worsened injuries.

VIN data often becomes a key piece of evidence in any airbag explosion injury claim

Do Not Assume It Was “Just a Bad Accident”

Takata injuries often occur in low-speed or moderate crashes where injuries appear disproportionate to the collision itself. This mismatch is a major red flag for an inflator rupture.

Common warning signs include:

• Severe facial or neck injuries in minor crashes
• Penetrating wounds inconsistent with blunt trauma
• Metal fragments found in tissue
• Injuries closer to the airbag module

If the injuries seem extreme for the crash severity, the airbag—not the collision—may be the primary cause.

Avoid Giving Recorded Statements Too Soon

Insurance adjusters may request recorded statements shortly after the crash. While this may seem routine, statements given before understanding the airbag defect can be used against you later.

Before giving detailed statements:

• Understand whether the airbag may have been defective
• Avoid speculation about cause
• Avoid minimizing injuries

Product liability cases are fundamentally different from routine accident claims, and early misstatements can complicate later legal action.

Understand That Takata Cases Are Product Liability Claims

Injuries caused by a Takata airbag explosion are not ordinary car accident cases. They involve product liability law, recall history, engineering analysis, and corporate knowledge.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

• Takata
• The driver of the vehicle(s)
• Your vehicle manufacturer
• Component suppliers
• Distributors

These cases often depend on proving that a defective inflator—not driver error—caused the injuries.

Be Aware of Filing Deadlines

Takata airbag injury cases are subject to strict legal deadlines, including statutes of limitation and statutes of repose. These deadlines vary by state and can permanently bar recovery if missed.

Delays often occur because:

• Injuries are misdiagnosed
• Defect involvement is discovered late
• Vehicles are destroyed before investigation

Early legal review helps ensure deadlines are met and evidence is preserved.

Speak With an Experienced Takata Airbag Lawyer

If a Takata airbag explosion caused injury or death, speaking with an attorney experienced in defective airbag litigation is critical. These cases require:

• Engineering and metallurgical analysis
• Recall and VIN history review
• Preservation of physical evidence
• Multi-defendant litigation strategy

An experienced Takata lawyer can determine whether a claim exists and guide you through next steps.

Free Case Review After a Takata Airbag Explosion

If you or a loved one was injured—or killed—by a Takata airbag explosion, you do not have to navigate this alone. We Can Help.

Contact Us for a Free Case Review
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