Takata Expected to Respond to National Airbag Recall, The Oliver Law Group P.C. Reports
(PRWEB) December 02, 2014 -- Takata Airbag Recall Lawsuit News: Today is the deadline that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has set for Takata Corp. to respond to its request for documentation and other information on when the Japanese airbag manufacturer discovered its airbags were prone to rupture upon deployment, and why the company did not report that information sooner, The Oliver Law Group P.C. reports.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the NHTSA gave Takata until December 1, 2014, to also say how long it would take to make inflators and replace air bags in the nationwide recall of 7.8 million vehicles. The Detroit Free Press says a Takata executive told a U.S. Senate committee last month that the company could make 300,000 new inflators a month and increase that number to 450,000 in January 2014. With this pace, the replacements would be completed by mid-2016. The airbag recall was initially limited to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, states with above-average humidity. However, the recall went nationwide after cases were discovered in Arizona, California, Minnesota and North Carolina where the inflators ruptured and sprayed shrapnel inside the vehicle, according to the Detroit newspaper report.
[freep.com/story/money/cars/2014/11/30/takata-recall-escalate/19641117/, November 30, 2014]
In November, the NHTSA called for a national recall of certain vehicles with driver’s side frontal airbags made by Takata. The federal safety regulator also ordered automakers that use Takata airbag inflators–BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota–to file detailed reports and produce documents showing that the companies tested the airbags outside of the initial regional recall areas. The NHTSA said in a press release that it was “demanding” the automakers to provide the information to “compel Takata and the affected industry to be frank with not only NHTSA, but the American public…” The agency also ordered Takata to provide information on what type of propellant it uses in its inflators because Takata publicly stated it recently changed the chemical mix of its airbag inflator propellant in the newly designed inflators.
[nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2014/DOT-calls-for-national-recall-of-takata-driver-air-bags, November 18, 2014]
Court documents indicate that plaintiffs in five class-action airbag lawsuits filed since October 2014 against Takata Corp. have asked a panel of federal judges to transfer the lawsuits to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and consolidate them for pretrial proceedings under the supervision of U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King, who is currently presiding over the first federally filed Takata airbag lawsuit. According to the plaintiffs’ motion to the U.S. Judicial Panel of Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), the first class action lawsuit proceedings are further along than the four other class-action lawsuits pending in California and Michigan. The Takata airbag lawsuits were filed on behalf of plaintiffs who allege the Takata airbags when deployed, explode and shoot metal debris and shrapnel on occupants in the vehicles. The JPML will hear oral arguments on the motion on December 4, 2014.
(In Re: Takata Airbag Litigation – MDL No. 2599)
CNNMoney reported that the NHTSA ordered Chrysler to start recalling its cars with the exploding Takata airbag inflators today because the federal safety regulator was “extremely concerned” about the automaker’s “slow pace of the recall.” The report also said that the exploding airbags have caused serious injuries and at least four deaths. It its response to the NHTSA, Chrysler said it would conduct a regional recall and start contacting its customers on December 8, 2014, and determine by next week whether to expand the recall.
[kfor.com/2014/11/26/federal-safety-regulators-demand-chrysler-recall-cars-with-the-exploding-airbags/, November 26, 2014]
The Oliver Law Group is offering free legal reviews to consumers who purchased or leased vehicles built with allegedly defective Takata airbags. To learn more about filing a Takata airbag lawsuit, please contact our office by calling 800-939-7878 today.
About The Oliver Law Group P.C. And Filing A Takata Airbag Lawsuit
The Oliver Law Group P.C. is a different kind of law firm. One that focuses on the needs of the injured first. A compassionate law firm dedicated to fighting for the rights of victims and their families, and doing everything necessary to ensure those rights.
The experience of a large firm. The 1-on-1 dedication of a small firm. A reputation built on trust.
Experience. Dedication. Trust. The Oliver Law Group P.C.
If you would like to learn more about filing a Takata airbag lawsuit, turn to the law firm with the Experience, Dedication, and Trust you deserve. Contact The Oliver Law Group P.C. for your free case review by calling toll free 800-939-7878 today.
Alyson Oliver, The Oliver Law Group, http://www.legalactionnow.com, +1 800-939-7878, [email protected]
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