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A Puerto Rican woman is suing Toyota over an accident involving a Takata airbag that sent metal shrapnel exploding in her face, leaving permanent injuries.
Jessica Rodriguez says Toyota is knowingly installing defective Takata airbags in vehicles despite issues surrounding the device’s inflator, putting profits ahead of safety, according to the complaint she filed on Friday.
If you have suffered a Takata airbag injury or lost a loved one as a result of a defective airbag, you may qualify to join a lawsuit investigation.
Rodriguez was driving her Toyota Yaris last year in February and got into a front-end crash, according to the complaint. The collision activated the airbag but the inflator exploded, shooting out metal pieces into her face.
The complaint marks the latest action taken in the continuing, decades-long Takata airbag scandal affecting scores of automakers and prompting a series of recalls.
At least 26 deaths have been reported from the faulty Takata airbag inflator and scores of injuries.
Rodriguez argues in her lawsuit Toyota is just as responsible as Takata for her injuries and further claims its recalls are ineffective.
“Astonishingly, it was further discovered that Toyota knew about the defectively dangerous condition of the Takata airbag inflator for several years prior to the incident that forms the basis of this lawsuit,” she said in the complaint.
Since 1998, Toyota has been installing Takata airbags in its Hondas, according to the lawsuit. At least three recalls have been issued over the last decade by Toyota on its Hondas, citing issues with the Takata airbag inflator.
Rodriguez alleges Toyota was put on notice about the Takata airbag defect as early as 2004, when drivers began officially filing complaints about it.
In 2008, Honda, a Toyota subsidiary, was notified by Takata of the airbag inflator problem and issued its first related recall, the complaint contends. Subsequent recalls were made in 2009 and 2010.
Each of these recalls failed to address the underlying issue, the complaint argues, stating that investigations into the defective Takata airbag inflator were either hidden from the public or quashed altogether by Toyota and Takata.
“Honda’s and Takata’s ongoing cover-up and ineffective recalls continued to cost lives,” Rodriguez said in the complaint.
The lawsuit elaborates on Takata’s history of providing airbags for U.S. automakers. Takata airbags have been installed in millions of vehicles made by at least ten different automakers beginning in the 1980s, the complaint contends.
Takata pled guilty to fraud-related criminal charges filed by the U.S. Justice Department in 2017. The company was ordered to pay $1 billion in penalties for systematically falsifying test data on the airbags and prioritizing profit over safety, according to a Dept. of Justice statement.
Formally Rodriguez says Toyota’s North American division of strictly liable for the harm she was caused and is accusing the company of negligence. She is seeking actual damages, consequential damages, economic and non-economic damages.
Do you drive a vehicle made by Toyota? Has it been involved in a recall? Do you know anyone who has experienced issues with Takata airbags? Let us know in the comments below.
The Toyota Takata Airbag Lawsuit is Rodriguez v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-01048 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Counsel representing the Rodriguez in the Toyota Takata airbag lawsuit are Javier Micheo Marcial of DMRA Law LLC; Andrew Parker Felix and Branden Weber of Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
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8 thoughts onToyota Targeted in Latest Takata Airbag Defect Lawsuit
In Nov. 2018 I was involved in a crash that the other guy crossed the center line and hit me head on on the passenger side where my wife was sitting, she was killed instantly. I spent six weeks in intensive care and an just now getting things somewhat back together. 2003 Toyota Tundra.
I was in a car crash in my Toyota Tacoma 2007 and the air bags did not delist, I never received a recall! It took 3 months to get the replacement Air bag loom!
My son was involved in a wreck & the air bag did not deploy. It was my sister’s vehicle 2014 Sion XB. Later we received a recall notice in the mail for the airbag.
Yes I talked to one of your representatives about this issue I have a Toyota Yaris 2007 it falls under the year make and model of this recall. I was informed not to drive my vehicle that it was dangerous and if I had to not to have any passengers. I took my car to be fixed but the part was not available so I left it there at the dealer. I was left with out a car. Then other recalls started popping up. In the process of all this I lost my job soon after I lost my home. toyota finally gave me a rental but by then it was too late. Well at least I had a roof over my and my toddlers head. Almost 41/2 weeks later they contacted me that the car was ready. I show up just to hear of my airbag is coming out of the seems. That I need to pay almost $4,0 to replace. They said that my safety was on the line. When I picked up my car. It was parked across the street. Dirty, flat tire, didn’t even look like they did anything to it. And it was dead. Toyota sucks. I Dont even think they fixed my car to be honest im a nervous wreak every time I drive my car due to this airbag lawsuit. It’s way stressful
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