A teen boy involved in an auto accident in Pennsylvania has been tentatively identified as the eighth death linked to faulty Takata airbags. This is the first fatality since April and brings the tally to nine worldwide.
There have also been more than 100 injuries caused by the airbags that can explode violently and send shards of metal flying throughout a vehicle.
Fatal Accident
The 13-year-old boy was driving a relatives used Honda Accord coupe in Mercer County, Pa., in July 2015. The vehicle ran off the road, down an embankment and crashed into a tree lying on the ground when the Takata airbag exploded. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died several days later.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an attorney for the victims family notified the agency of the accident in mid-December. The NHTSA has tentatively linked the cause of death to the ruptured airbag and will be investigating the incident further.
The vehicle was included in the nationwide recall of more than 19 million vehicles. According to Honda, a recall notice was sent to the former owner of the vehicle in 2010 and another was sent on July 21, 2015, just one day before the crash.
Expanded Recall
After further vehicle testing, the NHTSA has also announced an expansion of the recall to include an additional several hundred thousand vehicles, including:
- 2002-2004 Honda CR-V
- 2005-2008 Subaru Legacy and Outback
- 2005-2008 Mazda6
Vehicle owners are encouraged to bring in recalled cars for repair immediately.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a defective Takata airbag, the class action lawyers at GWC Injury Lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us right away to schedule a free consultation.
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