Takata Airbag Recalls, Injuries, & Death

Takata Airbag Recall and Lawsuits

When you step into your vehicle, you expect it to get you from Point A to Point B safely. The last thing you should have to deal with is an airbag that could potentially blow up in your face. Your airbag is supposed to protect you in the event of an accident, not attack you and cause you harm for no reason. This new recall by Takata has many vehicle owners wondering if their vehicle is at risk or not. Please read the information below to help you understand more about the recall and who is affected.

Understanding the Takata Airbag Recall

Across the United States, more than 30,000,000 vehicles had been recalled due to issues with the airbags, affecting 10 different automakers. It involves both the driver and passenger airbags. The airbags were manufactured by Takata and most were installed in vehicles from 2002-2008. However, there are some that were installed in vehicles as late as 2014. The airbags could deploy for no reason. The explosion could severely injure or kill the occupants inside of the vehicle.

The problem lies in the inflator inside of the airbag. This tiny metal cartridge contains propellant wafers. While these normally work as intended, there are instances of the cartridges being ignited with an explosive force. If the inflator housing ruptures when you crash, it could spray metal shards through the airbag and into the cabin of your vehicle. What was supposed to save your life could instead have potentially dangerous outcomes.

According to the Federal Drug Administration, trying to determine the cause of the problem and which one of the manufacturer’s designs are to blame hasn’t been so easy for Takata, the automakers or the independent investigators that were hired. The investigations have revealed there are multiple factors contributing to the problem of the exploding airbags.

Some of the main reasons why these airbags are malfunctioning include poor quality control by the manufacturer, several years of being exposed to high humidity and heat and even the actual vehicle design. If the wafers inside of the propellant break down due to exposure to excessive humidity or some other factor, it causes the propellant to burn too quickly, creating an excessive amount of pressure inside of the inflator body.

The Resulting Injuries

There have been more than 100 injuries and eight fatalities linked to these airbags. In some instances, the incidents were extremely horrific with the metal shards deeply embedded in the driver’s neck and face. While these incidents might not happen to everyone, they need to be addressed and the victims compensated. Even though airbags are meant to save your life, you need to make sure it isn’t going to harm you instead.

Nevada Airbag Lawsuits

If you or someone you love has been injured by the defective airbags, you need to take action today and speak with a lawyer who can help obtain compensation for your injuries. The team at Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm is standing by to help. Call at (702) 444-4444 or fill out our online contact form and someone will contact you.