MIAMI — A jury in South Florida has awarded $3 million to a man who suffered severe injuries from a malfunctioning airbag during a 2020 traffic accident. The ruling comes after jurors deliberated and reached a verdict for Jose Hernandez on Thursday.
Hernandez, who filed a lawsuit in 2022, targeted the Takata Airbag Tort Compensation Trust Fund, established following Takata’s bankruptcy. His injuries occurred when he was driving his 2005 Honda Civic in Miami. While attempting to make a left turn in December 2020, another vehicle struck his car. His legal representation stated that the impact should have resulted in only minor injuries. However, the Takata airbag’s inflator failed dramatically, propelling a shard of metal into Hernandez’s right arm.
Attorneys representing the Takata trust did not respond to requests for comment following the verdict.
The incident highlights a broader issue surrounding Takata airbags, which have been linked to at least 28 fatalities in the United States and 36 globally, as confirmed by regulatory agencies. Over 400 individuals have sustained injuries due to similar airbag malfunctions. The recall of these airbags began in 2013, impacting millions of vehicles.
Takata’s airbags employ ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion for inflation during collisions. Unfortunately, this chemical can degrade over time, especially in conditions of high heat and humidity, leading to dangerous deployments. When this degradation occurs, the explosive force can exceed safe limits, causing the metal canister to explode and send harmful shrapnel into the vehicle’s interior.
Hernandez’s case serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with defective automotive safety equipment. As these legal proceedings unfold, they shed light on the ongoing repercussions of the Takata airbag crisis, which continues to affect vehicle safety standards and recall protocols across the industry.
This case’s outcome may have implications not just for the victim, but also for broader consumer safety and corporate accountability. As advocates push for transparency and stricter regulations, injured parties confront the lasting impacts of such technological failures in everyday life.
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