According to victims, car makers knew airbags were faulty

By |2022-01-04T17:08:54+00:00March 17th, 2018|

According to lawsuits recently filed in connection with the ongoing case of exploding Takata airbags that have injured several people, some popular car manufacturers knew that the airbags they were putting in to their vehicles were potentially explosive and therefore dangerous since the early 2000s, well before the companies started recalling their vehicles a few short years ago in an effort to correct the problem.

Some people have already been successful in pursuing similar cases against other car manufacturers that have since settled the litigation pending against them. Reportedly, car manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and BMW have paid millions of dollars in connection with defective air bag claims, even though the car manufacturers themselves neither designed nor manufactured the airbags.

Nevertheless, the most recent litigation has prompted several manufacturers to deny the allegations that their companies seemingly ignored the safety of their customers for the sake of cost-savings. General Motors, in particular, suggested that some of the lawsuits included misrepresentations as to several “material facts.”

While it is too early to predict to the outcome of this litigation, the case serves as an important reminder about the options that Los Angeles, California, residents have should the safety equipment on their vehicles, like their airbags, turn out to be dangerous.

Specifically, injured victims can pursue a products liability cause of action or a similar lawsuit in order to get compensation for their injuries. A Los Angeles victim of defective car safety equipment can get compensation for medical bills and lost wages as well as for other losses that are hard to put an exact dollar amount on, including pain and suffering.

Source: U.S. News & World Report, “Lawsuits accuse automakers of faulty air bags, recall delays,” Tom Krisher, March 14, 2018.

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Doug Easton has practiced law since 1971. After 20 years of practicing with various large litigation firms, he founded the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton in 1991 as a solo practitioner. In the years that followed, Doug’s sons Brian and Matt joined him in the practice and helped build the firm into a powerful force to help right the wrongs done to their clients. Much of their success over the years has stemmed from the dynamic created by the familial nature of the firm and how harmoniously they all work together, each of their individual strengths complementing and fortifying the group as a whole. Accordingly, the firm changed its name to Easton & Easton, LLP in 2014 to better reflect the true dynamic of the firm and Doug now serves as Managing Partner of Easton & Easton. In 2015, Doug was selected as a Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in California by The American Society of Legal Advocates. In addition, Doug is listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who, and in 2008 was named its “Professional of the Year” in Medical Malpractice.
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