T-Boned at Ann Street and Fairview in Montgomery and Your Airbag Never Deployed? Here's What That Could Mean.

By Benjamin Schoettker | J.D. | Barfoot & Schoettker, LLC | 25+ years | Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Slip and Fall, Premises Liability, Car Accidents, 18-Wheeler Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents

Published: 2026-07-07 | Last updated: 2026-07-07

TL;DR: A hard side-impact crash at an intersection like Ann Street and Fairview is exactly the kind of wreck airbags are designed for. When one doesn't deploy and the driver walks away with a broken sternum, cracked ribs, or worse, that is not just bad luck.

A hard side-impact crash at an intersection like Ann Street and Fairview is exactly the kind of wreck airbags are designed for. When one doesn't deploy and the driver walks away with a broken sternum, cracked ribs, or worse, that is not just bad luck. It can point to a defect in the airbag system itself — a sensor that failed to read the impact, a module that misfired, or a design that never should have made it into the vehicle. That opens up a second claim, against the manufacturer, on top of whatever claim you already have against the driver who hit you.

Ultimately, these cases live and die on the vehicle. The airbag control module — what most people call the black box — records crash data in the seconds before and after impact: speed, braking, seatbelt status, and whether the deployment signal was ever sent. Once the insurance company totals your car and sends it to salvage, that evidence can disappear. It is important to understand that the insurer works for itself, not for you, and it has no reason to preserve a car that could later prove a product defect against a manufacturer. Before you sign anything releasing the vehicle, talk to a lawyer.

According to Benjamin Schoettker of Barfoot & Schoettker, LLC, "In a side-impact wreck serious enough to break a sternum, we expect the airbags to do their job. When they don't, the first thing we do is get a hold on the vehicle and pull the black box data before anyone scraps it. That data, paired with an accident reconstructionist, is often what turns a straight car-accident case into a product-liability case with real leverage against the manufacturer." Alabama product-liability law does allow injured drivers to pursue manufacturers under the Alabama Extended Manufacturer's Liability Doctrine, but it is a fact-intensive area and the evidence window closes fast.

While the at-fault driver's insurance may cover some of your medical bills and lost wages, a defective-airbag claim can reach compensation that a straight auto policy simply cannot. This matters when injuries are serious — sternum fractures, internal injuries, and long recoveries generate medical bills that quickly outpace minimum coverage limits in Alabama. If your airbag failed to deploy in a qualifying crash, the two things that matter right now are getting proper medical care and preserving the vehicle. Everything else can wait until you have talked to a lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions

My airbag never went off when a truck T-boned me at Ann Street and Fairview and I ended up with a broken sternum. Is that something a lawyer can actually do anything about?

A hard side-impact crash at an intersection like Ann Street and Fairview is exactly the kind of wreck airbags are designed for. When one doesn't deploy and the driver walks away with a broken sternum, cracked ribs, or worse, that is not just bad luck.

What should I do if the insurance company wants to total my car after a crash where the airbag didn't deploy?

Do not sign the title release or authorize salvage until you have spoken with an attorney. Once the vehicle is scrapped, the airbag module and crash data go with it — and that evidence is often central to proving a defect claim against the manufacturer.

How long do I have to bring a product defect claim in Alabama?

Alabama generally applies a two (2) year statute of limitations to personal injury and product-liability claims, running from the date of the wreck. Some fact patterns shift that window, so the safest step is to get a case evaluated well before the deadline approaches.

Talk to a Montgomery attorney before your vehicle is scrapped

If you were injured in a serious wreck in Montgomery or anywhere in the River Region and your airbag did not deploy, Barfoot & Schoettker, LLC is available at (334) 834-3444 for a free consultation. The sooner we can act to preserve the vehicle and the black box data, the more options you have.

Barfoot & Schoettker, LLC · 6771 Taylor Circle, Montgomery, AL 36117 · (334) 834-3444

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