Takata Exploding Airbags – Is Your Car Safe?
Editor’s Note: A new multimillion-dollar Takata Airbag Individual Restitution Fund will help provide settlements for people injured by the exploding airbags. See our latest post on this topic.
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You may have heard about the recall of Takata airbags, the airbags found in millions of cars and trucks worldwide. About 20% of all vehicles in the US have Takata airbags, which have been linked to more than 150 serious injuries and 11 deaths due to explosions when the airbags inflated during accidents. The recall has been expanded to cover 70 million vehicles, the largest automotive recall in US history.
How dangerous are Takata airbags?
Defective Takata airbags can cause serious injury by shooting metal fragments into vehicle occupants during a crash. Some Honda and Acura vehicles made in 2001-2003 have as high as a 50% chance of exploding during a crash. The problem is that many car and truck owners don’t know that their vehicles have been recalled, and driving those vehicles may be dangerous.
Does my car have Takata airbags?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has created a special section of their safercar.gov website with a list of car and truck companies that used Takata airbags. Click here to visit this page, and you’ll also see a link where you can look up your car or truck’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to check for all recalls.
What happens if I’m on the Takata recall list?
It’s very important that you make an appointment with your car dealership immediately. According to the NHTSA, vehicles located in high humidity and high temperature states like Georgia are more vulnerable to explosion. Dealerships are replacing the defective airbags for free, but have to prioritize requests since there aren’t enough replacement airbags available. It may take years to replace all the affected airbags!
Takata airbag injury lawyers are ready to help
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a faulty Takata airbag, the attorneys at Buzzell, Welsh & Hill are here to assist you. We have years of experience in dealing with large corporations like Takata and will work to get you the compensation that you deserve. Call for your free consultation today.