Ever since the airbag scandal broke, Takata has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. They are seeking a buyer for the company. This begs the question: who is inherently responsible for the faulty airbags being recalled?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the automakers bear the responsibility of getting the recalled vehicles repaired.
The head of the agency, Mark Rosekind, is concerned that automakers are not making enough effort to track down more than 300,000 older cars. These vehicles are mostly Hondas and Acuras and have the most dangerous Takata airbags.
Honda maintains that they have sent multiple mailings to 2001 to 2003 Honda owners – sometimes as many as 20 notices. However, some of these vehicles have been sold to new owners and the notices have gone astray.
Honda also said that they may begin deploying home visits to the owners of the older cars in order to convince them to get the vehicles fixed.
In the U.S. alone, there are still about 70 million vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. These faulty airbags could cause fatal injuries even in a minor accident. Such an accident killed 17-year-old Huma Hanif, who was in a low-speed rear-end collision with another vehicle.
In the most recent fatality, a 2001 Honda driven by a 50-year-old female suffered an airbag explosion which killed the driver. Honda had sent more than 20 recall notices to the owner of the vehicle.
If you have been injured by a Takata airbag, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the “Strong Arm” attorneys at the law offices of John Foy & Associates. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today.