Following recent lawsuits in Florida and Texas, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that at least 7.78 million vehicles are equipped with faulty Takata airbags. The recent airbag crisis has prompted a nationwide response, including calls for increased scrutiny from members of Congress and federal regulators urging U.S. vehicle owners to act immediately to replace defective air bags.
Takata airbags are installed on various cars and trucks by several major manufactures, including BMW, Chrysler-Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan Subaru and Toyota. The defective airbags are found most commonly in older vehicle models from 2008 or earlier. While nationwide recalls have been initiated, several dealerships lack sufficient replacement parts, forcing drivers to wait weeks to replace their defective airbags.
The cause of the recent recalls on Takata airbags is believed to be a manufacturing defect in which the chemical propellant that deploys the airbags was mishandled. When the Takata bags inflate in a crash, they can tear loose from their brackets, propelling shards of metal into the faces and chests of the vehicle occupants like shrapnel. These explosions can result in serious injuries, including lacerations to the face, neck and chest, permanent disfigurement, impaired vision, and, in particularly severe cases, death. Faulty Takata airbags have already been linked to more than a hundred injuries and 4 deaths.
When someone is injured or dies as a result of a product defect, it is important to understand your right to recovery. Abraham Watkins offers a free consultation to anyone wishing to pursue a claim for injuries caused by a product defect, such as defective airbags.
If you or someone you know has been injured or killed due to a product defect, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.