The worst mistake people make is assuming the car wreck claim and the defective airbag claim have different clocks, then waiting for a recall letter, VA treatment decisions, or the insurer's investigation before acting.

In Mississippi, the usual deadline is 3 years from the date of the injury. That often applies both to the crash case and to a product-liability claim over a failed airbag, seat belt, tire, or other part that caused or worsened the injuries. Mississippi product cases are governed by the Mississippi Products Liability Act, and they can be brought against a manufacturer, and sometimes a seller or installer if that business altered the product, controlled warnings, or knew about the defect.

A later recall does not usually restart the clock.

The right move is to treat this as an evidence emergency, not just a filing deadline issue. If the vehicle was towed from a Hattiesburg crash on U.S. 49, Hardy Street, or I-59 and is still in a yard or salvage lot, the airbag module, seat belt pretensioner, and crash data can disappear fast. Spring storm damage and storage auctions make that worse in Mississippi.

Focus on preserving:

• the entire vehicle
• the airbag module and seat belts
• any recall notices
• repair records, especially from any recent installer or body shop
• the crash report from Hattiesburg Police Department or Mississippi Highway Patrol
• photos of the interior, steering wheel, dash, and injuries

If you are using VA benefits, that system does not pause Mississippi's civil deadline. VA treatment records may help prove injury, but the VA claim process and a civilian product case do not coordinate deadlines for you.

If the crash was within the last 3 years, you may still have time. If it was close to that mark, the bigger risk is losing the vehicle evidence before the case is even evaluated.