Tenth Victim of Deadly Takata Airbag Fiasco

A Texas teen became the 10th victim of faulty automobile airbags manufactured by Japanese parts supplier Takata. Huma Hanif, 17, died when a defective Takata airbag on her 2002 Honda Civic exploded following a low-speed collision.

The known defect causes the airbag inflator to blow up like a bomb, sending metal shrapnel into driver. A metal shard from the inflator cut Hanif’s throat, and she bled to death. Hanif is the tenth known fatality. More than 100 others have been seriously injured, including victims in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

NHTSA, the National Highway Transportation Safety Authority, has ordered a massive recall of defective airbags. Between 24 and 28 million airbags have the potentially deadly, defective inflator, but only 7.1 million have been replaced so far.

The effected brands are:

  • BMW & Mercedes
  • Audi
  • Chevy
  • Dodge
  • Fiat-Chrysler-Ram
  • Daimler (Trucks & Vans)
  • Ford
  • Infinity
  • GM & GMC
  • Honda/Acura
  • Mazda
  • Mitsubishi
  • Nissan (Datsun)
  • Pontiac
  • VW (Volkswagen)
  • Saab
  • Saturn
  • Subaru
  • Toyota

Nor will buying (or riding) in a luxury car help protect you. Models effected include Mercedes’ expensive AMG models, and BMW X5’s and X6’s.

Worse, according to the New York Times, Takata knew about the dangerous defect for years before notifying federal regulators. That is just the type of outrageous, corporate irresponsibility that the personal injury/auto accidently lawyers Paul Zukerberg and Jonathan Halperin fight every day.

You can always find out if your car is subject to a vehicle recall by entering the VIN number in NHTSA’s VIN number safety recall tool.

If you or a family member has suffered a serious personal injury do to a defective airbag or other automobile or safety defect, call the experienced personal injury lawyers at Zukerberg & Halpering, PLLC today.

Categories:
Auto Accidents