Takata Airbag Defect leads Ford to Recall 391,000 Trucks
In late December 2015, a South Carolina man was struck by a piece of sharp metal and killed when his 2006 Ford Ranger’s airbag inflated on impact. The incident, said to be the tenth death linked to Takata air bags, led to the recall of nearly 391,000 Ford Ranger models from Salt lake City to the East Coast. The government recently announced that another five million vehicles equipped with airbag inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan are next on the recall list.
The Largest Automotive Recall Yet
Nearly 35 million vehicles in Salt Lake City and across the nation have been recalled for the same defective airbags, mostly vehicles that were manufactured before the year 2009. 100 injuries and 10 deaths have been linked to the Takata airbags. Families who have lost a loved one to the malfunctions have the right to a wrongful death lawyer and the right to file a claim.
Not Just Ford
In May 2015, Toyota, Nissan and Honda all expanded their recall of vehicles containing the defective airbags manufactured by Takata. The recent incident that took place in South Carolina sparked Ford to join the recall movement. Other brands such as GM, Chrysler, Nissan, BMW, and Mazda have also installed Takata airbags and are looking into recalls before a wrongful death lawyer comes knocking on their door.
The Problem
Takata airbags contain a propellant — ammonium nitrate — that shoots out metal debris in an impact. This is due to the propellant compound’s tendency to break down over time and over-pressurize the rupture. Takata is currently working to prove that the compound is safe, but vehicles in Salt Lake City and elsewhere are still being driven with the defective and dangerous airbags, putting drivers at great risk.
Lawsuit Claims
Current lawsuits charge that the company was aware of this defect over a decade ago and failed to alert federal safety regulators of the risks. Instead, the company deleted test data from a secret safety test performed on the airbags. Legal rights of victims linked to Takata airbags include the right to a personal injury lawyer or a wrongful death lawyer.
Alyssa Koenig is a legal writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter.
