U.S. safety regulators Tuesday pushed for a nationwide recall of cars with faulty Takata air bags. Senators called on the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation as to Takata’s cover-up.
As we previously reported, Takata’s earlier recall was limited to states in the southern part of the country with higher humidity. Takata has said that prolonged exposure to moisture can cause the airbag propellant to burn faster than designed, causing the explosion.
New allegations reported in The New York Times say tests performed as far back as 2004 revealed to Takata the danger of the air bags was real. Allegedly, Takata executives ordered all evidence be destroyed. If Takata had knowledge that the air bags were faulty and did nothing, they will face criminal charges in at least 5 deaths and multiple injuries.
Many lawsuits are now being amended to reflect that the manufacturer knew about the danger and did nothing about it.
The government is actively investigating the air bag manufacturer. They want specific questions answered under oath.
Up until now, about 8 million vehicles in the U.S. with Takata inflators have been recalled for problems with either the driver or passenger side air bag, or both, that can seriously injure or even kill you. Another 4 million vehicles have been recalled outside the U.S. Lawmakers have pressured the government to expand the recall to all 50 states, as deaths and injuries were reported. The expanded recall will not cover passenger air bags, as of yet.
Safety advocates and lawmakers say NHTSA and carmakers, including Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan, Mazda, BMW and Ford, were too slow and inconsistent in their response to the faulty air bags. The safety agency and its allies argue that limited staffing and funding restrict how much it can investigate on its own, making it difficult to formally force recalls. How many more deaths and injuries will it take for them to put safety first?
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of a defective product or safety feature, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878) for more information.
