Record number of recalled cars

On behalf of Steven Crell of Steve Crell Law posted in Personal Injury on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.

Indiana motorists may have heard that in 2015, more than 51 million automobiles were recalled around the country by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This number surpassed the previous record set in 2014 after the number of recalls was revised downwards when it was discovered that there were double counts of airbag recalls.

Cars with airbag defects were recalled in enormous numbers due to how many vehicles were produced with faulty inflators made by the Takata company. As a result of the problem with the inflators, some airbags may explode when the airbag inflates, expelling shrapnel at passengers. To date, eight people have been killed worldwide, and more than 100 people have been injured.

Although there has already been a significant number of recalls related to Takata inflators, the NHTSA believes that more recalls are on the way. Along with ensuring that recalls are made in a timely manner, the agency is also striving to ensure that vehicles are repaired. About 25 percent of recalled vehicles do not have necessary repair work completed to resolve the defect.

A person who is in a car accident is likely to have to deal with a variety of costs, including vehicle repairs and car rental costs. One who is injured may also have to deal with medical bills and the loss of wages due to an inability to return to work for a prolonged period of time. A personal injury attorney can often help determine if an accident was caused by an automotive defect, and if it was, can assist an injured victim in seeking compensation from the manufacturer of the defective vehicle or part.