Airbags can be fantastic safety features in cars, and have undoubtedly saved many lives. Unfortunately, when they don’t work correctly, they can lead to serious injury. Over the last decade, a number of individuals have sued automotive manufacturers alleging that their airbag inflators were defective and the malfunction of these devices, intended to insure the safety of persons in the front seat, in fact often caused serious injury or death. The family of a woman from Houghton recently filed a lawsuit alleging that their mother was killed by a defective airbag inflator.
The allegations
The complaint named ARC automotive, Inc., General Motors and Toyoda Gosei North America Corp. as defendants. The complaint alleges that an airbag inflator in a Chevy Traverse exploded when the car was struck by another vehicle in Calumet. on Aug. 15, 2021. According to the complaint, the deceased woman was struck in the chest, neck and head by a metal fragments from the vehicle’s airbag inflator. The woman died after being taken to a nearby hospital.
The class action suit
ARC Automotive manufactures airbag inflators that are used by GM, Ford and Volkswagen in their vehicles. A class action naming these four companies was filed in May 2022 in San Francisco federal court. The complaint in that case alleges that the defendants knowingly sold vehicles containing defective airbag inflators that had a high risk of exploding and either injuring or killing persons in the front seats of those vehicles.
Defending automotive industry companies
The stories behind these lawsuits are horrifying, and it’s natural to sympathize with the injured and their families. However, one should not rush to judgment until all the facts are in.
Auto parts manufacturers have the right to defend against claims that their products caused injury. It’s important for them to seek out experienced legal help to protect their businesses and their reputations.
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