Back in August, we noted how pervasive the issue of faulty air bags in motor vehicles had become. In the intervening months things have not gotten any better. Indeed, if anything, they have gotten worse and so it seems worth revisiting the matter.
As attorneys in North Carolina with experience in personal injury matters know, it isn’t just reckless or negligent driving that can lead to catastrophes that are life altering or life ending. Sometimes the root cause of the problem can be traced back to a defective part on a vehicle. In such circumstances, the manufacturer of the faulty part may be held liable for the compensation that is due to victims.
When we first wrote about the air bag issue last year, the major culprit was a faulty inflator system in bags made by the Japanese part maker Takata Corp. Tens of millions of cars were put on notice of needing a replacement. At that time, eight deaths and more than 100 injuries had been blamed on flying shrapnel blasted into passenger compartments.
In just the past several weeks, however, the recall has been expanded yet again. And in addition to more vehicles being added to the list, federal safety officials confirmed that the death toll from these dangerous products had risen to 10 worldwide. Nine of the fatalities have occurred in the United States.
Meanwhile, AutoNews.com reports that German part maker, Continental AG, has announced that it’s recalling 5 million of its air bag controllers around the world because of possible corrosion in a computer chip that can prevent the air bags from deploying. No deaths have been reported, but several people have been hurt.
As big as the Takata recall is, there are some experts who say it’s not over yet.