A defective airbag lawsuit may be an option for people who purchased a vehicle equipped with an airbag manufactured and marketed by Takata Corp., an automotive parts company based in Japan. Some passengers and drivers may be at serious risk of injury as millions of cars have been recalled due to dangerous and defective airbags. Affected passengers and drivers may be able to file a lawsuit and recover compensation for their injuries with the help of a products liability attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated defective airbag lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Defective Airbag Recall
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and several car makers has issued a number of recalls totaling more than 40 million vehicles in the U.S. following reports that the cars’ airbags are defective. The airbags in question, manufactured and marketed by Takata Corp., were sold to more than 19 automakers since 2001 and have the potential to rip upon deployment, releasing metal fragments into the passenger area. If this occurs, the passengers and driver are at a severe risk of impalement, disfigurement, other serious injuries, and death. As of February 2017, 11 deaths and 184 injuries have been associated with defective Takata airbags and inflators in the United States.
U.S., Japan Warn Millions of Car Owners
On Oct. 20, 2014, the NHTSA issued a recall for several models and makes of cars including Nissan, Chrysler, Mazda, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and BMW. Since the recall in October, the agency has initiated numerous recalls concerning defective Takata airbags as millions of vehicles may have been equipped with inflator and propellent devices that could deploy improperly.
The NHTSA has also said that high temperatures and humidity could exacerbate the defective airbags and warned consumers living in Hawaii, Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and other areas where the climate is generally humid to take the warning seriously and seek a replacement as soon as possible.
Japan has asked Takata to conduct its own internal investigation and is investigating Honda for allegedly not reporting the problem in the U.S. Honda allegedly did not report more than 1,700 claims of injury or deaths as a result of the faulty Takata airbag system. Honda has sold more cars than any other manufacturer that uses the Takata airbag system. Toyota is also assisting with the recall by conducting its own investigation with the Takata airbags. Consumers who want to know if their vehicles are included in the recall are asked to contact their local dealers to determine if they need to replace their airbags.
Additionally, a defective airbag lawsuit attorney notes that Takata agreed to pay $1 billion in fines after three former senior Takata executives were charged with falsifying test results in order to conceal dangerous ruptures of its airbag inflators.
How a Defective Airbag Lawsuit Can Help
Although the manufacturer has agreed to pay a fine, including millions of dollars to a victim compensation fund, drivers or passengers who are injured by a defective Takata airbag may be entitled to compensation for damages resulting from their injuries. Compensation can include:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of income and ability to work
- Pain and suffering
If the actions of the airbag manufacturer are malicious or so reckless that intent to harm can be inferred, the responsible party can be liable for punitive damages to punish wrongful conduct and deter similar conduct in the future.
If a loved one dies as a result of a defective Takata airbag, his or her family members may be able to pursue compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
