It seems that the Takata airbag disaster is never quite over: On July 11th, Takata added an additional 2.7 million airbags to the nation’s largest auto industry recall in history after a new hazard was detected. Reportedly, a subset of its airbag inflators that rely on calcium sulfate can also rupture while deploying, sending metal shards flying into the vehicle.
Nissan, Mazda, and Ford installed these in their U.S. vehicles that were sold on the market between 2005 and 2012. All of the problematic airbags are supposedly on the driver’s side of the vehicles.
Injuries & Deaths In & Outside Of Florida
Takata’s problems began in 2008 when Honda recalled 4,000 cars that relied on the airbags. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 17 million airbags have been replaced in the U.S. to date.
At least 17 people have died worldwide due to the bags, including 12 in the U.S. and one in Florida just last summer after a Takata inflator ruptured in a parked 2001 Accord. Problems occurred when moisture and temperature fluctuations degraded the propellant. Unfortunately, the recall repair was never completed on the Florida vehicle. Calcium sulfate was one of the chemical agents used to try and keep the propellant dry in the devices; however, the inflator can combust aggressively, potentially rupturing and causing harm. Those devices recalled are amongst the company’s earliest generation of ammonium nitrate inflators that rely on calcium sulfate as a drying agent.
Are All Takata’s Airbags Dangerous?
The recent announcement concerning calcium sulfate has raised serious concerns from some that there are threats posed by all of Takata’s ammonium nitrate-based airbags. As a result, folks like Senator Bill Nelson of Florida have called on regulators to determine whether all remaining Takata airbag inflators are in fact safe.
Consult with a products liability attorney in Boca Raton today if you have been injured
If you believe you may have sustained injuries due to a defective airbag manufactured by Takata, you should contact an experienced products liability lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your potential case.
The recall may end up resulting in a number of claims against the company—claims which can get complicated, particularly depending upon the future of Takata as a company—and having a personal injury attorney on your side can be helpful. Takata officially filed for bankruptcy after paying $1 billion related to the faulty inflator systems and pleading guilty to criminal charges. The fine included a $25 million criminal penalty, $125 million to individuals affected by the airbags, and $850 million for auto manufacturers who used the devices.
At the Boca Raton-based law firm of Lavalle Brown & Ronan, our skilled products liability and personal injury attorneys have been working to help victims of defective airbags for years. Contact us today for a free consultation to find out how we can help you.
For more information and in depth analysis, please contact Attorney Ken Ronan at kronan@bocalaw.com and Case Manager Richard Bagdasarian at rbagdasarian@bocalaw.com.
Resources:
nytimes.com/2017/07/11/business/takata-recall-airbag.html?hpw&rref=automobiles&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well
nytimes.com/2017/07/10/business/takata-airbag-honda-death.html?ref=business
