Last month, Nissan added 45,000 cars to its previous recall after a woman in Louisiana was severely injured by metal shrapnel that exploded out of a Takata airbag. As a result of the airbag, she suffered from serious burns, cuts, and hearing problems after her minor crash near New Orleans. This has consumers worried that other cars fitted with Takata air bags could lead to similar accidents and injuries.
The original Nissan air bag recall covered over 52,000 vehicles fitted with faulty air bags made by Takata in November 2014, mostly Infiniti, Nissan, and Sentra models. After this more recent incident, Nissan recalled all Sentra compacts from 2004 through 2006 model years in high-humidity states because the humidity evidently caused the air bag propellant to burn too quickly. These states included Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, as well as the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam and American Samoa. In general, over 17 million cars and trucks in the U.S. and 22 million worldwide (not just Nissan) have been recalled because of this airbag recall problem.
Common Air Bag Injuries
The victim of this incident suffered typical injuries that can come from airbag malfunction. Serious burns can result from both the chemicals. Injuries to the head and brain are among the most serious types of personal injury that can result from defective airbags, and even the neck. Hearing loss is common, and sometimes the excessive force can cause fractures and even blindness. And, sadly, many of the victims have died as a result of these airbag mishaps.
The Need for an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Issues that could lead to personal injuries for consumers should be detected during testing, before the product is released to the public. If they are not properly tested and this leads to your injury, it is negligence.
Similar issues that arise with respect to airbags include deployment failure, unnecessary deployment, and accidents related to airbags being too large or under-inflated. In fact, some statistics have found that airbags are actually associated with a slightly increased probability of deaths in accidents.
These injuries can have a massive impact on the victim’s life, and on their family members. Head injuries can lead to serious complications and the need for life-long care and funds to cover medical expenses. Loss of hearing and blindness leave someone permanently disabled. And the death of a loved one can never be undone by a product recall.
Harrell & Nowak
The personal injury attorneys at Harrell & Nowak have helped many victims in New Orleans, Kenner, Metairie, and throughout Louisiana obtain financial compensation for their injuries. Our accident lawyers will work to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive a fair recovery if your injury has been caused by some else not being responsible. We are ready to bring your case and allow you to be compensated for your medical expenses, lost wages, and any pain and suffering. Contact us for a free consultation today.