What do you do when safety devices designed to protect you in your car end up becoming deadly?
This is exactly what happened to Florida woman Hien Tran, who died last month after a faulty airbag exploded during a car accident, sending shrapnel flying into her neck. Detectives searched for clues about the stab wounds in her neck until a letter from Honda arrived urging Ms. Tran to get the airbags in her Accord fixed, a week after she died from her injuries.
There have now been at least three deaths associated with the mushrooming recalls of vehicles containing defective airbags made by Takata, a Japanese auto supplier. More than 14 million vehicles from 11 automakers that contain the airbags have been recalled worldwide.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has urged the owners of more than five million vehicles to "act immediately" to get the airbags fixed. Honda said it did not have enough parts to fix the cars immediately, and Toyota said it would in some cases disable the airbags, leaving a note not to ride in the front passenger seat.
In the midst of a safety crisis, the auto industry has recalled more than 50 million vehicles in the United States this year alone, shattering the record of about 30 million in 2004. Airbags have been one of the biggest and longest-simmering problems.
Read the full story here:
It Looked Like a Stabbing, but Takata Airbag Was the Killer
A warning to any and all Honda/Toyota/Chrysler and Subaru owners: your airbag may deploy without warning or in an accident and cause shrapnel to kill you. It is incredible this condition has been known for some time and consumers do not know about it. Simply driving your car could kill you if you do not get this airbag fixed.
If you or a family member believe you have a product liability case, contact Crandall & Pera Law today for a free case evaluation. Crandall & Pera Law is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.