Takata Named In Wrongful Death Lawsuit

As the number of autos impacted by the latest Takata recall increases, reports on a deadly accident caused by the company's faulty air bags reach the news.

According to the Associated Press, a Louisiana woman who was involved in a deadly Long Beach personal injury lawyer accident in April was killed because the air bag in her car exploded with too much force. The 22-year-old woman from Lafayette, Louisiana succumbed to her injuries five days after the crash. The lawsuit filed by her family alleges that the 2005 Honda Accord she was driving crashed into a utility pole when the driver's air bag's inflator ruptured. Shrapnel sent into the air as a result of the explosion impacted the driver. Due to the serious impact, the 22-year-old driver experienced a severed carotid artery, prompting emergency responders to send her to the hospital.

According to experts, Takata's campaign is the largest recall in U.S. history. Originally, the company urged automakers to launch recalls in regions of the country where vehicles were exposed to humid weather for long periods of time. But as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pressured the company, Takata decided to expand the recall to vehicles sold nationwide.

To the family, the 22-year-old woman from Louisiana would have walked away from the crash without any major personal injuries. Due to the presence of the faulty air bags, her injuries were deadly.

Currently, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working on collecting more data on this accident. Once the agency is able to gather enough information, agents will contact Honda and attorneys representing both parties. According to the official reports, the victim's body hasn't been subject to an autopsy yet.

Honda and Takata are being accused of covering up the air bag issue for over a decade in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the victim's family. According to the automaker, however, more information is necessary to determine the driver's cause of death.

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