Toyota recently announced a recall of more than 1 million cars that may have defective airbags and windshield wipers. Owners of the Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Lexus IS vehicles are encouraged to contact their dealership and seek appropriate repairs.
These defects have been linked to two accidents in Japan and 18 injuries. Defective airbags can be dangerous in several ways. If they fail to deploy in the event of an accident, they do not do their function of minimizing the risk of injury to the driver and passengers. On the other hand, they can also cause injuries If they deploy unexpectedly.
The wiper defect means the wipers may not work in some weather conditions, including snow. This could decrease visibility, which can especially dangerous is poor weather.
Toyota has had more vehicles recalled than any other automaker for three of the past four years. However, Toyota was named the world’s best-selling automotive manufacturer in 2012, which means there are a lot of these potentially dangerous recalled cars on the road. This is Toyota’s third recall involving more than a million cars since October.
Those who are hurt in an accident caused by a defective product, including a defective auto part, may be able to bring a product liability claim against the product’s designer, manufacturer, distributor or retailer. Defects typically into one of two categories: design defects, which are inherent to a product’s design, or manufacturing defects, which are caused by an error in how the product is made.
If you have been hurt by a dangerous product, or an unsafe part contributed to an accident, you may be able to seek damages including medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. Consider contacting a personal injury attorney with experience in product defective matters.
Source: The Jacksonville Observer, “Toyota Recall to 1 Million Vehicles for Defective Airbags and Faulty Wipers” Darren Halas, Jan. 30, 2013
