7.8 million Vehicles Recalled Due to Personal Injury Risk

Clore Law · October 28 2014

Right now, anyone who rides in one of the 7.8 million vehicles involved in a recent recall is in imminent danger. According to a consumer advisory posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicles with Takata airbag inflators may have "problems" if they're exposed to consistently high heat and humidity.

The Takata Recall

When consumers hear that a product might have "problems," it's easy to think that the airbag simply won't deploy or won't be effective. In these recalls, the inflators on the passenger-side airbags can actually rupture and spray shrapnel throughout the vehicle, causing serious personal injury. The defective Takata parts can be found in numerous vehicle makes, including BMW, Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. Globally, Takata has recalled around 16 million vehicles in the last six years. Owners of these vehicles are urged to visit a dealer immediately for a replacement. If parts are unavailable, dealers can disable the airbag, and vehicle owners may continue driving, but are asked not to have a front-seat passenger until repairs are complete.

A Manufacturer's Responsibility

Given the vague terms notices like this use, it's no wonder that around one-third of recall notices go unheeded. To add to it, vehicles continually change hands, which can complicate the notification process. However, manufacturers still have an obligation to personally notify each owner and a blanket or public recall statement generally does not release them from liability when someone is hurt and files a personal injury claim. Staying Safe When a defect is noted, the manufacturer doesn't always issue a recall. If they catch it themselves, it's up to the company to decide how to handle the situation. When a government agency discovers a defective product, they may issue a recall or may encourage the manufacturer to do so. Sadly, there's no guarantee that a company will recall a dangerous product, even at the government's recommendation. For this reason, vehicle owners need to keep an eye open for potential issues. While there's no way an owner could possibly know about the defect discussed here until it's too late, in other cases, there may be early warning signs. Additionally, it's a good idea to use the NHTSA's recall check tool to search for any recalls and to verify if a pre-owned vehicle has had all required recall-related repairs completed. It's also imperative to follow up with necessary repairs immediately after receiving notification. In the case of the Takata recall, at least four people have died so far, and countless others have been hurt. It's likely that many victims aren't aware that their injuries are the result of a defective product and evidence of what really occurred is long gone. It's also probable that more people will be hurt by these supposed lifesaving devices as time passes, if warnings are not heeded.

Charleston Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been hurt by a defective product and there was no recall, or you were not notified properly, you may be entitled to compensation. Moreover, your incident may help compel the company to recall their product to help save others from enduring the same anguish you have. Tell us about your case or call 1(800)610-2546 to speak with one of our attorneys and find out how we can help.