Ford’s $300M Takata Airbag Defect Class Action Settlement Gets Initial OK

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Ford’s nearly $300 million settlement agreement for its part in a Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit was preliminarily approved by a federal judge.

The Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit settlement will cover Ford owners and lessees allegedly affected by defective airbags.

The massive multidistrict litigation (MDL) alleged that Takata airbags contain shrapnel that can explode into the vehicle should they inflate.

Takata airbags are ubiquitous in a vast number of vehicles and several other car manufacturers were swept up in the litigation, along with the airbag maker, Japanese company Takata.

Ford has agreed to pay $299.1 million to exit the litigation as a part of the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit settlement. In addition to Class Members’ loss claims, the settlement award will cover a rental car program.

Class Members’ loss claims include economic damage suffered as a part of the massive Takata airbag recall, including the cost of replacing the airbag or reimbursement of up to $500 should the Class Member not have a record of the costs.

Class Members’ will be notified under the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit settlement by mail, phone, email, in-person, and by ads on the internet and social media.

The fairness hearing for Ford’s piece of the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit settlement was set for Dec. 11, 2018.

Ford was swept into the massive Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit after nearly 200 people were injured and 11 people died by allegedly defective airbags.

According to the MDL, parts of the airbag could potentially break on impact, causing shards of metal to explode into the passenger compartment in the event the bag was deployed. Plaintiffs also alleged that the Takata airbags could misfire in humid conditions.

According to the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit, defective airbags can be found in vehicles manufactured between 2002 and 2015.

Takata airbags were used by nearly every major car manufacturer as well, making the scope of the litigation vast. Eighteen manufacturers, in addition to Ford, were ultimately named in the MDL.

For its part, the airbag manufacturer agreed to pay $1 billion in the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit settlement. Honda agreed to pay $605 million, while Nissan agreed to pay $98 million to exit the litigation.

Other manufacturers, including GM, Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, have yet to settle claims. BMW, Subaru, Mazda, and Toyota agreed to pay $553.6 million together to exit the Takata airbag defect class action lawsuit.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

Class Members are represented by Peter Prieto, Aaron S. Podhurst, Stephen F. Rosenthal, John Gravante, Matthew P. Weinshall and Alissa Del Riego of Podhurst Orseck PA and other portions of the MDL are being handled by the law firms of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Colson Hicks Eidson, Power Rogers & Smith LLP, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP, Carella Byrne Cecchi Olstein Brody & Agnello PC, and Baron & Budd PC.

The Takata Airbag Defect Class Action Lawsuit is In re: Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:15-md-02599, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

UPDATE: On Dec. 20, 2018, Class representatives secured final approval of a near $300 million Ford air bag class action settlement from a federal judge.

UPDATE 2: On April 7, 2020, Top Class Actions viewers started receiving checks in the mail from the Takata airbags class action settlement worth as much as $400. Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got PAID!