A recall affecting about 656,800 Toyota and Lexus vehicles was recently announced, involving vehicles manufactured between May 2015 and March 2016. According to Toyota, a defect in an open electrical circuit could prevent the air bag from inflating during a crash. As air bags are intended to prevent serious injuries and death in a motor vehicle collision, a non-deploying airbag could be fatal.
Toyota has announced that it will send recall letters to owners of affected models in March 2018. In the meantime, you may wish to contact Toyota if you own one of the defective models, which include:
- Alphard
- Corolla
- Esquire
- Highlander
- Hilux
- Levin
- Lexus RX
- Lexus NX SUVs
- Noah
- Prius
- Probox
- Sienta
- Succeed
- Vellfire
- Voxy
As if the airbag issue wasn’t enough, one of Toyota’s most popular models, the 2018 Camry, is involved in a second recall. This time the defect involves an improper connection of fuel pipes and hoses, resulting in a potential fire hazard. Other vehicles involved in this recall are the Lexus TC-F, GS F and LC 500 vehicles manufactured in 2015 and after. A Boston defective products attorney can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been injured due to a dangerous or defective product.
Takata Airbags
The largest auto recall of 2017 involved vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. About 34 million vehicles have been affected by the recall, and more are expected. Takata airbags have exploded during deployment, causing serious injuries to vehicle occupants. According to the NHTSA, anyone with a vehicle model equipped with a Takata airbag should avoid driving the vehicle, except directly to the manufacturer to have the dangerous defect fixed. Several Honda and Acura models are involved, as are various Toyota, Lexus and BMW models.
Types of Product Defects
Thousands of people are injured by defective or dangerous products every year. Defective product lawsuits can be quite complex as determining liability across multiple parties in a distribution chain can be a challenge. Defects can occur during the design, manufacturing, or sales process of a product, vehicles included. If a vehicle malfunctions while being used for its intended purpose, and the malfunction causes injury or property damage, who is liable?
- Design defect – If the flaw occurred during the vehicle’s design, before it was even manufactured, the design company may be liable. In some cases, this is the same company as the manufacturer, but not always.
- Manufacturing defect – If the design was safe but a manufacturing error caused a dangerous defect, the manufacturer may be liable.
- Marketing defect – The design and manufacturing processes may have both concluded safely, however, missing warning labels or improper instructions could result in injury. If a car is equipped with a feature to turn off the side airbags, but there is no warning that using this feature also turns off the front airbags, any resulting injuries would likely be classified as a marketing defect.
A MA personal injury lawyer can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured by a defective product.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Boston’s Top Defective Products Attorney
If you have been injured by a dangerous or defective product, the legal team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. We have been protecting the rights of accident and injury victims for more than 50 years. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Our experienced, knowledgeable lawyers will ensure that you fully understand your rights and options, and we’ll be by your side throughout the entire process. We have an impressive track record of obtaining compensation for our clients, and we want to help you. Don’t go through this difficult time alone. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.