RSSAustralian Man’s Death Linked to Faulty Takata Airbags
A 58-year-old man from Sydney, Australia passed away over the weekend after the Honda CRV he was driving collided with another vehicle at an intersection. The impact from the accident caused the airbags to deploy, fatally wounding the driver when he was struck in the neck with metal shrapnel from the faulty airbags. An officer at the scene said: “Investigations have revealed the death of the man is likely due to a fault in the airbag, causing the man to be struck in the neck by a small fragment.”
The defective Takata airbag inflators in question contain ammonium nitrate propellants, which can deteriorate over time when exposed to moisture and humidity. The breakdown of these inflators will then cause metal shards to spray around the vehicle after the airbag has been engaged. There have been 18 deaths and an estimated 180 injuries worldwide due to these airbags. This was the primary reason behind the recall that was issued seven years ago.
Choice, an Australian consumer watch group, has been conducting their own investigation into the faulty airbags, and have discovered that, in some cases, defective airbags are being replaced with the same faulty products as a bandaid to a much larger issue at hand: consumer safety. Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey stated: “Refitting vehicles with the same dangerous airbags still leaves people driving ticking time-bombs.”
Back here in the United States, defective Takata airbags have been linked to 9 deaths since 2009, which is the year the recall was issued. U.S. federal prosecutors recently imposed criminal charges against corporate executives at Takata, and subsequently fined the Japanese automaker $1 billion for the concealment of information regarding the defective airbags. They have since filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the United States.
For additional information about the types of vehicles involved in the Takata airbag recall, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Orlando product liability lawyer James O. Cunningham has been fighting for the rights of victims for over thirty-five years. If you have been injured in an accident caused by a faulty Takata airbag, contact our firm today at 877-FL-INJURY to setup a free initial consultation.
Read More:
Australian regulator investigating Takata airbag recall after death
Takata airbag recall: Owners advised to make the call or risk being left out
Revealed: The car models affected by Takata airbag recall, the largest in automotive history
Takata airbag recall process leaves drivers with ‘ticking time-bombs’, Choice says
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.