Kentucky Ford pickup owners may be interested to learn that, on Jan. 11, Ford Motor Co released a statement that confirmed that a second death was caused by a defective Takata airbag. The fatal accident occurred in July 2017 in West Virginia. The previous fatal accident occurred in December 2015.
Ford confirmed that the two vehicles involved in the accidents were 2006 Ford Rangers. Both airbags had actually been built on the same day. The death prompted Ford to issue an updated recall for vehicles that were recalled back in 2016. The affected vehicles included more than 391,000 2004 to 2006 Ford Ranger vehicles. The updated recall also identified 2,700 vehicle owners in the U.S. who were at the highest risk.
There have been at least 21 deaths linked to faulty Takata airbag inflators. These inflators were known to rupture, potentially sending deadly fragments into the passenger area of the vehicles when the airbags were deployed. A spokesperson for Takata stated that the company intends to ensure that it delivers replacement inflators as the company is able. By 2019, it is expected that about 125 million vehicles will have been a part of the recall.
If a consumer product is dangerous or faulty, the manufacturer along with the distributor and retailer could be held financially responsible for any losses that occur. An attorney who has experience in defective product litigation can assist by determining the amount of past, present and future damages and seeking appropriate compensation for them, whether by a settlement from an insurance company or through a lawsuit.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Ford Urges Thousands Of Pickup Owners To Stop Driving After New Airbag Death“, David Shepardson, Jan. 12, 2018