Airbags are safety devices found in just about every vehicle on the road in the United States. Their intention is pure, they are intended to keep vehicle occupants safe in the event of a collision. Although they usually do, like anything else airbags can fail to operate as intended. At times, due to defective designs, automotive companies may issue an airbag recall. This happens when they fail to keep vehicle occupants safe. When passengers suffer an injury or death due to an airbag malfunction, they may be entitled to compensation.
Airbag recalls are common. Recently, Honda, the Japanese automobile manufacturer, came clean. They revealed that they had knowledge of defective airbags produced by Takata, years before informing federal regulators and triggering a massive airbag recall.
The airbags in question have exploded during impacts and caused serious injuries and deaths. Takata is an automotive parts company that provides products such as airbags for major car manufacturers. Although Honda is believed to have been most impacted, the defective airbags plague more vehicles than Takata originally suggested in 2013.
In 2015, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a list to the public of 14 other automakers impacted by the Takata airbag recall. That equals 28 million vehicles with unsafe airbags. Globally, 10 deaths (most in the United States) and more than 100 serious injuries have been linked to these faulty airbags. From burns to air bag chest injuries or death, trauma from airbags are a serious matter.
Airbag recalls are nothing new. In 2014 Nissan recalled close to 1 million vehicles due to faulty airbags. Now, over one year later, federal regulators suggest that that they have not made the necessary changes. Many other airbag producers and automakers face legal liability when injuries and death are caused by airbags. In reference to the Takata recall, only about $7.5 million airbags have been repaired, the probability of future injuries remains high.
Airbag Recall Compensation
Replacing these airbags are estimated to cost up to $24 billion dollars. That does not include the coming legal obligations that Takata and automakers might face for medical liabilities. Airbags in general are not a dangerous. The Department of Transportation reports that, in the last 30 years, frontal airbags have saved more than 37,000 lives. That does not undermine the thousands of individuals have sustained injuries in the last 10 years, some of which are ignored or misdiagnosed.Whether an injury was caused by the Takata airbag or any other legal action may be necessary. If you or a loved one have experience serious bodily injury or death, due to an airbag malfunction, you may be entitled to financial compensation.