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In May of this year the Department of Transportation expanded their recall of Takata airbag inflators to include an additional estimated 35-40 million inflators. This was on top of 28.8 million Takata inflators already under recall. News of the recall has likely sparked a number of questions in the minds of many consumers, as well as car owners who have been directly affected by the Takata recall.

Does your car have a defective Takara air bag inflator? Have any of the toys your children or grandchildren play with been recalled because of the dangers they pose? Are you taking any medications that have been deemed unsafe? Do you even know where to look to find out? What would you do if you suspect a death or injury has been caused by a defective or dangerous product?

These are all very valid questions and concerns for consumers and Randall Spivey and his team are here to provide you with the help and legal guidance you need to keep yourself and your family safe.

The defective Takata airbag inflators have been linked to serious injury and deaths. According to Consumer Reports: “At the heart of the problem is the airbag’s inflator, a metal cartridge loaded with propellant wafers, which in some cases has ignited with explosive force. If the inflator housing ruptures in a crash, metal shards from the airbag can be sprayed throughout the passenger cabin—a potentially disastrous outcome from a supposedly life-saving device.”

Florida Senator Bill Nelson (Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation) released a report on June 1^st of this year finding that cars containing the defective airbags were still being sold and the recall process has been moving remarkably slow.

Investigate Purchases

When making a new auto purchase, giving a gift to a child or changing a medical plan, it is important to check to make sure what you are purchasing or using is safe. Defective products can cause significant harm to consumers and it is important that everyone is aware of how to track recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has created a registry of recalls related to automobiles that includes a searchable database where consumers can search by problem type. Similarly, the Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts.

Seek Competent Medical and Legal Help

Often the cause of an injury is easily identifiable, but there are many times when the true cause of an accident isn’t obvious. There are other times when an injury is made worse by a defective product or service. Takata has come under serious scrutiny as a result of not only the deaths and injuries attributed to its airbags but allegations that the company was aware of the risks the airbags posed and that the company may have destroyed test results. These allegations have led to calls for a criminal investigation.     

Understanding the true cause of an injury suffered during an auto accident is not always a straight-forward process and it is important to have an experienced attorney involved. Many people injured in a car accident might not think to consider whether the injuries could have been less if all safety equipment (such as the airbag) had been working properly. Other times, injuries are enhanced by a defective product and in both instances it is important to work with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Experienced Naples personal injury attorney Randall Spivey can help. Contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. today for assistance.