Exploding Takata Air Bag Kills Florida Woman

A 34 year old Florida woman was killed by an exploding Takata air bag inflator following a recent car crash near Tampa. Although authorities have not confirmed the cause of death, all evidence points to the woman being the 19th person (and the 13th in the US) to have been killed by the malfunctioning Takata air bag.

According to a local news report, Takata inflators can explode with too much force, blowing apart its metal canister and spewing shrapnel into the vehicle. In fact, these defective inflators were the cause of the largest automotive recall in US history – involving 42 million vehicles and 69 million inflators. Over 100 million have been recalled worldwide.

The vast majority of the deaths associated with the faulty air bag have occurred in Honda vehicles, as in the case at hand. The woman was driving her 2002 Honda Accord when a 19 year old male driving a 1999 Pontiac Firebird turned in front of her. The Accord struck the passenger side of the Firebird, causing the Honda’s driver-side airbag to inflate – and explode.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), three other people were in the car, including a four year old girl. All suffered only minor injuries as the impact of the crash was not significant, thus leading one to suspect that the cause of death was not the crash but the exploding Takata air bag inflator. FHP has confirmed that the Honda was in fact equipped with the original Takata air bag and that the driver died of blunt force trauma. Furthermore, Honda and investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have inspected the Accord and determined that the driver’s inflator had indeed ruptured.

Despite significant recall efforts, there are still about 98 million Takata inflators on the road in the US alone. If you or a loved one have been injured by one of these malfunctioning Takata airbag inflators, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. To learn more about how to file a Florida products liability claim, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.