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Hagens Berman's Steve Berman Responds to Takata and Honda Hearing Regarding Airbag Defect Affecting Millions of Vehicles
[November 20, 2014]

Hagens Berman's Steve Berman Responds to Takata and Honda Hearing Regarding Airbag Defect Affecting Millions of Vehicles


SEATTLE --(Business Wire)--

Attorneys from national consumer-rights law firm Hagens Berman representing plaintiffs in the proposed class-action case against Takata and Honda (News - Alert) Motor Co. today responded to testimony delivered by Takata Senior Vice President, Hiroshi Shimizu and Honda Executive Vice President, Rick Schostek on November 20, 2014 to a Senate committee hearing titled "Examining Takata Airbag Defects and the Vehicle Recall Process," regarding the airbag safety defect affecting millions of vehicles and linked to at least five fatalities.

"Our investigations have revealed that Takata and Honda engaged in a cover-up campaign to stifle information about airbag malfunctions," said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and lead attorney representing plaintiffs in a case against Takata and Honda. "Unfortunately, much of what the companies stated during the hearing aligns with this same mentality of sweeping a widespread safety defect under the rug, instead of making sure that consumers are informed and safe."

The safety defect involves the driver-side airbags installed in millions of Honda vehicles. Instead of safely deploying airbags to protect vehicle occupants, the defective Takata inflators, explode, sending metal and plastic shrapnel into the vehicle cabin, according to the complaint. The defective Takata inflators have caused multiple injuries and fatalities.

A 130-page class-action suit filed November 7, 2014 by Hagens Berman in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Calfornia, claims that Takata withheld knowledge of the airbag defects from federal regulators and ordered its technicians to destroy data evidencing any housing defects, including video and computer backups.



"Takata has dodged questions regarding their responsibility and has also refused to support an expanded recall of affected models," said Berman in response to the recent hearing. "We believe that Takata should be held accountable for this safety defect that has forced families across the country to take a risk every time they drive their vehicles."

The suit accuses Takata of manufacturing cheap airbags that "blew up like hand-grenades, sending lethal metal and plastic shrapnel into the vehicle cockpit and into the bodies of the drivers and passengers."


"Consumers deserve more," Berman added. "Despite having owned vehicles with defective airbags for years, owners are only finding out now that they own a car affected by this problem."

The suit seeks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased or leased a Honda vehicle with a defective Takata airbag and that has been subject to an airbag-related warning or recall. Concerned consumers can visit the firm's website for a list of affected Honda vehicles and may contact the firm regarding the suit at [email protected] or 206-623-7292.

Hagens Berman's Steve Berman was recently named co-lead counsel in the high-profile class-action lawsuit against General Motors (News - Alert), covering claims over faulty ignition switches and loss of vehicle value. The firm also secured a $1.6 billion settlement in litigation against Toyota Motor Corp for owners of vehicles that were potentially prone to unintended acceleration.

Additional information about the investigation is available at www.hbsslaw.com/takata.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with offices in nine cities. The firm has been named to the National Law Journal's Plaintiffs' Hot List seven times. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.


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