Honda to Fork Over $85 Million in Takata Airbag Settlement
» Posted September 18, 2020 • Resources | Share This Post
Honda has agreed to pay some $85 million to states across the country in an effort to close another chapter in the long-running saga over fatally defective Takata airbags.
The company is settling an investigation by 46 states into faulty airbag inflators blamed for hundreds of injuries and at least 20 deaths. The company is one of 19 that used the defective Takata airbags in the vehicles.
“We’re holding Honda to account and sending a message that placing profits over safety will never be accepted,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement announcing the settlement. “Airbags are supposed to keep drivers and passengers safe, but Honda’s manufacturing defect and their hiding of the facts led to deaths and injuries.”
Honda and other car manufacturers began recalling vehicles with defective Takata airbags in 2013, citing defects that could cause the safety devices to inappropriately deploy and explode, sending shards of metal, glass and other material into the car without warning.
The malfunction was blamed for a number of fatalities in the United States. That includes a driver in Georgia who was killed when the airbag in his Ford Ranger deployed and exploded as he was driving the car on a South Carolina highway.
Some 37 million vehicles with Takata airbags have since been recalled. Takata filed for bankruptcy after paying $1 billion to settle Justice Department claims that it failed to warn consumers of the problem.
The Honda settlement resolves claims that the company concealed the safety threat to drivers.
“Today’s settlement will not only guarantee Honda replaces all remaining defective airbags on the road but that the company takes specific actions to ensure any future defect is thoroughly made public in the future to avoid this type of danger,” James said.
Legal Rights for California Car Owners
The Takata saga is an unfortunate example of the havoc that serious vehicle defects can cause for everyone on the road.
The good news for California car owners is that the state’s lemon law offers some important rights and protections. The law requires car manufacturers to perform certain repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty and to buy back or replace cars that the manufacturer is unwilling or unable to fix.
An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you enforce these rights. The law also requires the manufacturer to pick up the tab for your legal fees.
Consult a California Lemon Law Attorney
If you are a car owner or lessor who has been stuck with a defective vehicle, an experienced California lemon law attorney at the Bickel Law Firm can help. Our lawyers can help you weigh your rights and options to ensure that the carmaker is held fully accountable.
Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney today.
