Bloomberg recently reported that members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee have asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for information related to the problem of defective airbags in the cars of various automakers including Toyota, GM, and Honda. Apparently, the defect causes air bags to spontaneously explode, sending shards of metal at passengers.
While we previously blogged about an increase in the scope of the recall, regulators have again increased the recall, making the total number of cars affected approximately 7.8 million. In addition, Toyota and GM have both warned passengers to avoid sitting in the front seat in affected vehicles. At the same time, NHTSA has warned vehicle owners to “act immediately” upon notice of the recall.
The faulty airbags have been linked to nearly four deaths so far, and various other injuries. NHTSA is currently investigating the automaker’s response to the defect, since it is possible that automakers were slow to respond to fix the problem or may have failed to report all accidents associated with the defect. Other effects, such as the airbag manufacturer’s plummeting stock value and outages on the website that informs consumers if their car is subject to the recall, are only adding to the problem.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident related to a defective airbag, or other car part, you may have a personal injury claim. The experienced attorneys at Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri LLC can help evaluate your claim and get compensation for your injuries. Call us today at 973-274-5200.
