An eighth death has been linked to the recalled airbags from Takata Corp. of Japan. A Los Angeles woman suffered neck and head injuries when the Honda civic she was driving crashed and the airbag deployed, sending shrapnel flying into the body of the car and the victim. This death has become more prevalent in the ongoing recall because the car being driven was a rental car.
The Honda civic the victim was driving had previously been recalled in 2009 and the owner of the vehicle had been notified four times, according to Honda, about the recall and that the vehicle needed repaired. Mark Rosekind, the administrator of the Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), stated, “The fact that this was a rental vehicle that had not been remedied is more evidence for why we are seeking author to prohibit sale or rental of any vehicle with an open safety recall.”
Rental car companies should be held to the same standards as car dealerships when vehicles receive recalls. Renting a car to a consumer when the company knows there is a recall is a product liability case. Currently, only dealerships are required to repair recalled vehicles and defective car parts before they can sell the car. Rental car companies should also be required to take a recalled vehicle out of their rotation until the defective part is fixed.
Honda and Takata have apologized to the victim's family and Honda continues to urge consumers to have their vehicles repaired as soon as possible. Consumers can check to see if their vehicle has been recalled by checking the Takata Airbag Recall website that has been specially set up for the Takata airbag recall by NHTSA.
The Takata airbag recalls are still affecting many consumers. How many more deaths will be linked to this recall before all the vehicles are repaired? The answer to that should be none, but unfortunately that may not be the case. Rental car companies should be held to the same standards as dealerships and not be allowed to rent vehicles that have a recall on them. They are being negligent by not taking the vehicle out of their rotation and allowing consumers to continue to rent vehicles that have defective car parts. Consumers affected or injured by a vehicle recall should speak with a product liability lawyer to ensure experienced attorneys represent them.
When renting, or buying, a vehicle, you should check to see if the vehicle has a recall before you drive it. No one should suffer from an injury because a company refuses to fix a recalled vehicle or defective car part. If you have a recalled vehicle or were affected by the Takata recall, contact a Chicago defective car parts attorney. At [[title]], we have experienced attorneys who have handled cases involving defective cars and car parts. We work to ensure you receive the most favorable outcome for your case. For a free consultation, call the law office of [[title]], located in Chicago, Illinois, at [[phone]].
