In early summer of 2015, Patricia Mincey ran through a red light while driving approximately 20 mph in her 2001 Honda Civic. Unfortunately, her car collided with an SUV. As is supposed to happen, her airbag inflated, but in her situation, hers inflated too much. Her lawsuit, intended to cover her medical bills, pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages against Takata and Honda, alleges that this overinflation caused Ms. Mincey to become paralyzed from the waist down.
The airbags in her car were made by Takata, and were installed in her vehicle in 2009 during an initial recall of their defective airbags. However, the overinflation in Ms. Mincey’s car was not an isolated incident. In fact, about 6 million Honda cars across the United States have been affected by the defective Takata airbags, and officially, there has been a recall of approximately 2.8 million cars. The reason for the recall is linked to the airbags' inflating mechanism, which may explode and propel shrapnel into the interior of the vehicle. These defective Takata airbags have been deemed liable for five deaths and over 100 injuries.
But the recall is not limited to airbags installed in Honda vehicles. Nearly 11 million vehicles across the country are involved, including cars manufactured by Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, and more.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested a nationwide recall on Takata airbags, but currently, the recall is focused on regional locations of high humidity. It is considered a factor in the overinflating airbags, even though injuries and deaths have been found in areas of higher and lower humidity.
The NHTSA has been asking automakers to extend their recall for all regions, but so far, Honda is the only car manufacturer to have done so. You can determine if your car has been recalled by entering your vehicle identification number at the NHTSA web site.
If you own a vehicle with a Takata airbag, there could be delays in getting it replaced. Getting into an accident could have devastating consequences for you or your passenger.
The legal team at Steven A. Bagen & Associates are aware of the dangers associated with defective Takata airbags. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a collision and your car is on the list of recalls, contact us at 1-800-800-2575 about your situation. We understand the need for compensation so that you can get the medical help you need to mitigate your physical and emotional suffering. Our team strives to take a leadership role in expanding public understanding of automobile safety issues and encouraging actions to reduce any possible financial costs associated with them.
