An Arlington family has filed a lawsuit against Takata Corp., Honda and a local Vandergriff car dealership after their daughter was seriously injured by an exploding Takata airbag in 2014.
The lawsuit states that the 17-year-old girl received a 2001 Honda accord as a belated birthday gift in 2014. Shortly thereafter they received a recall notice from Takata in the mail.
The teen took the vehicle to Vandergriff Honda the following day to have the defective airbag replaced, but was turned away because the dealership did not have the part. She was told to come back the next day.
Uneasy about whether or not it was safe to continue to drive the vehicle, the parents called the dealership and spoke with the manager who told them that her car was probably not affected and that if she wore her seat belt, she would be fine.
That same night, however, the teen was involved in a minor chain reaction fender bender accident. The lawsuit claims that her vehicle barely tapped the vehicle in front of her when it set off the airbag that “went off like a bomb.” The explosion sent shrapnel directly at her upper body and face, causing severe damage to her nose and chest. Two years later, the teen is severely scarred and requires additional surgeries.
The lawsuit claims that Takata and Honda were negligent and failed to take appropriate steps to remedy the problem. It also claims the dealership should not have put the teen back in the car with a defective airbag.
In April, a 17-year-old Houston girl was killed when the defective Takata airbag in her vehicle violently exploded during a minor accident.
Earlier this month, Takata doubled the size of its already massive recall, making it the largest recall in U.S. history. The substantial number of vehicles involved in the recall means that it could take several years before all vehicle owners are notified and all parts are replaced.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one because of a defective part such as a Takata airbag, contact the Fort Worth product liability lawyers at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn immediately for a free review of your claim. A Fort Worth personal injury lawyer from our firm can help you seek justice and recover fair compensation.
Call (817) 920-9000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form today.