Louisianans have the right to expect that when they get into a vehicle, the only dangers they will face are accidents and incidents with other vehicles. However, it has become all-too common for automobile design defects to pose as great or a greater risk to cause injury and wrongful death. In some cases, it takes time for the victims who have suffered injury or loss of a loved one to receive information that the issue was due to a malfunction or an automobile design defect. From the time the incident happened, it is imperative that those who were affected understand that it might have been due to a mistake on the part of the manufacturer and the company and take necessary steps to consider a legal filing.
A man who died in Baton Rouge in the summer has been found to have been killed because of a faulty airbag made by Takata. This is the 20th person who is known to have died from across the globe because of the problems with these airbags. Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the car company Honda inspected the vehicle and found this to be the case. The vehicle, a 2004 Civic, had an airbag that had previously been a 2002 Civic and was salvaged.
People who own vehicles that have these defective airbags have been informed that repairs are necessary with the recall affecting 42 million vehicles among multiple companies. In November, it was reported that an estimated 65 percent of Hondas had been fixed. Other automakers with the issue having been repaired ranged from 2 percent to 50 percent. Recalls have been ongoing for 15 years, but problems with Takata equipment have only been replaced in 43 percent of the vehicles. With these airbags, shrapnel sprays into the passenger compartment when the airbag is deployed and breaks apart, causing injury and death.
While the Takata airbags are among the most prominent auto defects that are reported regularly, there is always a risk that a defect in the vehicle’s design or with certain parts can place people at risk. Vehicles can roll over, shift out of park unexpectedly, have brake issues and more. Those who have been injured or lost a loved one must make certain that the have legal assistance to investigate and pursue compensation for all that was lost in an accident. A lawyer experienced in a wide variety of cases due to defective products can help.
Source: foxnews.com, “20th death attributed to Takata airbag,” Dec. 20, 2017