Recent deaths in Florida and Texas have brought the total number of deaths linked to faulty Takata airbags to 11 worldwide. The defective safety devices have been shown to explode violently and send shards of metal throughout the cabin of a vehicle.

In early April, a Jacksonville woman died from severe injuries she sustained during a slow-speed collision two years ago. The once active retiree became quadriplegic from injuries caused by the Takata airbag in her 2001 Honda Civic that violently exploded during the minor accident.

In March, a Texas teenager was killed at the scene of the accident when metal shrapnel from a deployed Takata airbag punctured her neck. A sheriff stated that all parties should have survived the crash. The teen was wearing her seatbelt and going the speed limit at the time of the accident.

Honda has reported that the teen’s parents and the owners of the used 2002 Honda Civic received recall notices, but no repairs were made before the wreck.

Automakers Criticized for Low Completion Rates

The 14 automakers that used the faulty Takata airbags in their vehicles have been criticized for not making repairs in a timely manner to prevent more deaths. According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), auto manufacturers should be working at a 100 percent rate of completion and taking every measure to ensure this goal is reached.

Lawmakers have stated that the latest deaths are evidence that current recall attempts are not working and automakers must speed up the process for identifying impacted vehicles, notifying owners and fixing the defective airbags quickly and before anyone else is killed.

If you have been injured by a defective product such as a Takata airbag, contact the experienced product liability attorneys at Goldberg Finnegan right away to discuss your claim in a free legal consultation.