The largest auto recall in the nation’s history just became even more massive. This week, federal regulators added an astounding 40 million additional vehicles to an already gigantic list requiring repair or replacement of defective Takata airbags.
The airbags, produced by Japanese-based auto parts maker Takata, are linked to almost a dozen deaths and hundreds of gruesome injuries across the country. Investigators believe the ammonium nitrate used to inflate the life-saving airbags could become unstable in hot and humid conditions, causing the chemical to become unstable.
In an unstable form, ammonium nitrate can become an explosive. The chemical may ignite too quickly and cause the airbags metallic canister housing to rupture. Horrific injuries caused by metal shrapnel propelled into the faces and chests of vehicle occupants are becoming all too common as the recall grinds away at a snail’s pace.
Government officials decreed vehicles installed with Takata airbags six-years or older need to be replaced as the risk of a catastrophic accident vastly increases. The latest Takata airbags recall may only exacerbate this process, putting innocent victims at the mercy of production schedules and corporate greed.
Since the Takata airbag recall began almost two years ago, only about 28 percent of at-risk vehicles have been serviced and federal authorities believe it could be as late as 2019 before all automobiles affected by the recall are repaired. Even as other auto parts makers join the frenzy to produce enough replacement airbags, time is ticking on the ordinary people who rely on their vehicles to earn a wage and live their lives.
As a law firm committed to tackling corporate greed and promoting social justice, The Cochran Firm, D.C. continues to actively monitor the situation as we have done from the beginning of this tragic case. Our Takata airbag lawsuit attorneys serve clients throughout the country, providing clients with the experienced and dedicated legal counsel they need to seek justice.
If you or a loved one were hurt or killed by a defective Takata airbag, contact The Cochran Firm, D.C. for a free legal consultation about your case. Call us locally during business hours at 202-682-5800 or at 1-800-THE FIRM (843-3476) to reach us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also fill out an online contact form with the details of your case and we will respond at your earliest convenience.
