The Office of the Attorney General has declared an expansion of focus on the Takata defective airbag recall.
Since 2014 there have been on-going international recalls for vehicle airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation. The defective airbags have been installed on cars and trucks with model years from 2002 through 2015, primarily made by BMW, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Jeep/Chrysler and Mazda.
Consumer Reports investigative articles indicate that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called the airbag recall disastrous and “the largest and most complex safety recall in history.”
According to the NHTSA, the defect is due to the break-down of propellant in the inflator inside the airbag. The breakdown can be due to high temperatures or humidity. This causes pressure inside the airbag which can lead to explosions and shrapnel projectiles toward the driver and passengers.
More manufacturers included
Initial reports indicated that a dozen manufacturers were involved, but the recall has expanded to include Acura, Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge Ram trucks, Ferrari, all GMC vehicles, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Saab, Saturn, Mitsubishi, Scion, Subaru, Tesla and Volkswagen.
Also, according to the NHTSA, more than 42 million vehicles are included in the defective airbag recall.
Next Steps
If you have been involved in an accident, even if it is minor, and your airbag deployed injuring you or a loved one, please call the law offices of George R. Fusner Jr. immediately to schedule a free case evaluation – and please make sure to save all evidence of the airbag failure.
Do not allow any pieces of the airbag to be discarded, and do not allow the insurance company to take possession of your car. Use video and pictures to document the condition of the airbag and all associated damage.
Safety devices
Airbags were originally designed and stored in the steering wheel to protect drivers. As airbag technology improved, they were included in the side of the car for both the driver and passenger. Even when they deploy as designed, airbags have been known to cause whiplash, brain injuries and neck and spine injuries.
Serious or severe airbag malfunctions and injuries were relatively rare – until the Takata defects. Possible scenarios with the defective Takata product include:
- Failure of the internal airbag components that result in untimely deployment – the airbag may explode while driving without any type of impact
- Shredding of the internal components of the airbag during deployment, causing debris to shower the inhabitants of the vehicle
- Unnecessary deployment – the airbag may deploy in a low impact fender-bender
- Failure of the airbag inflator and sensor may cause delayed deployment during a crash, or the airbag may not deploy at all, even in case of a high impact crash
Slow replacement puts Tennesseans in jeopardy
The Attorney General’s office, as well as other regulatory agencies have strongly recommended that the airbags be replaced as soon as possible. The recall repair is free to consumers and can be made by the service department at any local dealership.
However, the issue of replacement – the product availability and the man hours required to replace the airbags – could take years. In the meantime, drivers and passengers are being exposed to dangerous situations and potential catastrophic injuries.
As of the first quarter of 2018, the death toll from these defective airbags stands at 22. Severe injuries have been reported in the thousands. Takata has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for the defect products.
For more than 40 years, we have represented the interest of the injured. Our team has the skill and diverse experience to get you the justice and compensation that you deserve.
Call 651-251-0005 to schedule a free consultation.
Law Office of George R. Fusner Jr.
424 Church Street, Suite 2000
Nashville, TN 37219
800-427-8960
