Georgia Auto Defect Lawyers Now Filing Takata Airbag Product Liability Lawsuits

Representing airbag injury victims in Atlanta, Savannah and throughout the state

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced recently that vehicles manufactured by 19 different car manufacturers have been recalled because of defective airbags in the front driver’s side and front passenger’s side. The airbags were made by Takata, a large parts supplier, and were installed in cars made mostly between 2002 and 2015. NHTSA informed the public that the airbags could deploy explosively in a crash, inuring or killing the occupants. Product liability lawsuits are now being brought against Takata and all other responsible parties for the physical harm, emotional trauma, and deaths these defective products caused.

The Atlanta auto defect lawyers at Harris Lowry Manton LLP have the experience and tenacity to pursue these new product liability claims. Our lawyers have obtained some of the highest jury verdicts and negotiated settlements in Georgia for similar defective auto part cases. In one illustrative case, our lawyers obtained a $16,520,000 verdict, after a seven-day trial, in a product liability and wrongful death case due to a defective tire made by Michelin. In addition to the product liability and negligence claim, our attorneys were able to show that Michelin knew or should have known of the defective tire and failed to take corrective action. The jury awarded $11.5 million in punitive damages.

Why the Takata airbag is dangerous

NHTSA analyzed the reason the airbags ignite with such explosive force. The airbag’s inflator used a chemical propellant that did not have a proper drying agent. High temperatures, moisture, and the age of the airbag are contributing factors, too. When the airbag improperly ruptures or inflates, metal from the airbag can spray into the vehicle, causing severe injury and death. The sudden explosion of the airbag can also cause an occupant to be thrown about the car.

Tens of millions of cars have been recalled or are likely to be recalled soon. Some cars are being recalled twice, once for the driver side airbag and then again for the passenger side airbag. The models of cars subject to the recall can be reviewed at the NHTSA recall site.

Product liability claims based on the Takata airbag defect

At HLM, our Savannah product liability lawyers have the skills, resources, and persuasiveness to successfully bring complex product liability lawsuits. We work with product safety experts, understand precisely how recalls work, and investigate the aspects of each case to present the best possible case before a jury.

We can bring several types of auto defect claims, each of which can lead to damage awards for a client’s medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and death benefits if someone tragically dies. Auto defect claims usually include the following:

• A product liability claim. Here, we assert that a manufacturer, such as Takata, improperly designed or made defective airbags. We also work to show that the defect, the exploding or malfunctioning airbag, is what caused the injuries or death to the driver or passengers. There is no need to prove negligence or that Takata was actually aware of the defect.
• A breach of warranty claim. This type of claim is brought on the basis that each car and each product installed in the car is supposed to meet specific safety standards. Cars with defective products such as airbags that explode when they should not generally fail to meet those standards.
• Negligence. This theory asserts that Takata failed to take the necessary steps, within industry standards, to plan, design, implement, and test its airbags before trying to make a profit from them.
• Punitive damages. As in the Michelin case where we obtained a very substantial verdict, if a parts manufacturer knows or reasonably knows its product is defective and fails to take necessary steps to fix the problem, the maker can be held responsible for this egregious wrong.

Auto defect cases often cause death or catastrophic injuries, which can require a lifetime of care and which, if the occupant survives, can change his or her life forever. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, loss of vision, and paralysis are just some of the possible results when automobiles fail to perform.

Get help now by making an appointment with a highly respected Georgia product liability lawyer

Our Atlanta and Savannah product liability attorneys understand how crushing an airbag-related injury can be. Our lawyers are known throughout Georgia and the Southeast for our ability to litigate auto defect cases. If someone you know was killed, or you were injured when an airbag improperly deployed, the lawyers at HLM are ready to bring claims against Takata, any other defective airbag maker, and the car companies that installed the faulty airbags. To make a free initial appointment with a caring attorney, please call 404-961-7650 in Atlanta, 912-651-9967 in Savannah, or fill out our contact form.