Earlier this year, the Japanese company Takata finally admitted to a dangerous flaw in millions of airbags it had manufactured for many different types of vehicles over the course of many years. The company agreed to issue a recall1 for an estimated 34 million vehicles to repair or replace airbags with defective inflators. If not fixed, the airbags can inflate with too much force, causing the balloon to explode and causing pieces of sharp debris to fly toward vehicle occupants. This defect has thus far caused approximately 160 injuries and at least eight deaths.
Surprisingly, however, many potentially affected vehicle owners have ignored the recall and have failed to have their airbags replaced. In fact, since the recall was issued, more injuries and deaths have occurred due to the issue. While some vehicle owners may not realize that their vehicle is involved, others have simply put off acting on the recall. This can put you in serious and even life-threatening danger.
If you have not already done so, you should enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) into the search engine provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).2 If your vehicle is affected, you should follow the instructions provided on the site as soon as possible.
Legal action stemming from the airbag defects
If you have already sustained injuries in an accident that occurred because of a defective airbag, you may be entitled to significant compensation for medical bills and other injury-related losses. Many injured motorists have already filed claim for personal injury against Takata and related parties, while the family members of deceased victims have filed claims for wrongful death. Because of the number of expected lawsuits related to these airbags, the cases may be complicated and may involve specific legal procedures and rules. Anyone who has sustained injuries or damage due to an exploding airbag should not delay in discussing their case with an experienced products liability as soon as possible.
Find out how a Houston personal injury attorney can help you
Experienced Houston personal injury lawyer Stewart J. Guss has helped many injured accident victims obtain the full financial recovery they deserve. If you would like a free consultation to discuss y our case, call our office at 800-898-4877 today.
