Indiana drivers at risk

Recent reporting by local Indianapolis news outlets indicate that many people are still unaware of the Takata airbag recall, and many more have not been notified if their vehicle is part of the recall. 

Since the beginning of 2014 there have been on-going international recalls for vehicle airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation. 

The airbags are defective – and they have been installed on at least 37 million vehicles in the U.S.

Vehicles that are model year 2002 through 2015, made by BMW, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Jeep/Chrysler, Mazda, and a dozen other manufacturers have been recalled.  Front and passenger side airbags have been found to explode on impact – more than a dozen Americans have been killed by these defective airbags.

The initial recall began with 4200 cars and has since expanded to include more than 100 million vehicles world-wide. 

Clarence Ditlow, a consumer reporter, said that the Takata recall is “one of the most lethal defects we have ever seen.  It’s really like a ticking timebomb that may go off if you have a crash.”

He added that only 8 million airbags have been replaced thus far. 

Experts weigh in

“This is the largest recall in American history,” said Mark Rosekind, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) spokesperson.  “Takata misled, obscured and withheld information from both NHTSA and consumers, as well as manufacturers.  This has been going on for years and years.”

Next Steps

There are several class-action product liability law suits regarding these airbags – but one particular area that is not addressed by these defective product class-action lawsuits is that of the person who was struck due to the other driver’s defective airbag deployment.  If you or a loved one has been injured or suffered property damage caused by another driver who had a defective airbag, please call Marshall Whalley at 219-769-2900. 

Expansion of recall, confusion abounds

Many people have received notification from their vehicle manufacturer, others have heard about the recall and proactively followed up.  But the process for the Takata recall has been exceptionally sloppy – so says Mark Rosekind. 

Normally, when NHTSA announces a recall they immediately notify vehicle owners who are affected. But when the agency announced that they were expanding the parameters of the initial recall from 29 million to nearly 70 million vehicles, they set different limits and included vehicles that may or may not have needed to be included.  The expanded recall, according to Rosekind, is scheduled to be conducted in five phases – beginning now and going through the end of 2019. 

The change in the recall order, he added, is due to the risk of airbag explosions. “The ammonium nitrate propellant inside each defective airbag becomes most unstable and dangerous when it faces prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity.  Therefore, the age and location of each vehicle is critical in determining when it poses a higher risk.”

Rosekind added that people in Indiana are at less risk than people in Florida or Georgia, due to the heat and humidity of the southern states.   “This phased approach is supported by the scientific data and will help to ensure that the most dangerous inflators are targeted first,” said Rosekind.

Whalley & Associates has served the people of Indiana, Michigan and Illinois for more than 30 years.  They are knowledgeable, trustworthy experts that are dedicated to helping victims obtain justice and full value compensation in both personal injury and wrongful death claims.  Call the law offices of Marshall P. Whalley to schedule a free case evaluation.

Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC

5 West 112^th Avenue

Crown Point, IN 46307

219-769-2900