Products Liability Law Reporter
Case in Point
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Defective air bag inflator
May 9, 2023Tocarious Johnson, 20, had a single-vehicle collision while driving his 2010 Dodge Charger. The driver’s side air bag deployed, and its metal inflator ruptured violently, sending shrapnel toward Johnson. He suffered severe injuries that led to his death. He is survived by his parents.
Johnson’s family claimed that Takata Corp. was liable for the defective design and manufacture of the air bag inflator. The claimants asserted that the inflators were prone to rupture due to excessive internal pressure occurring when the air bags deployed. The family did not claim lost earnings.
The parties settled for $2.7 million.
Citation: Vinson v. Takata Corp., settled before filing, Jan. 24, 2023.
Claimant counsel: Chris Glover and AAJ member Alyssa Baskam, both of Atlanta; and AAJ member Stewart E. Vance and Kyle Weidman, both of Montgomery, Ala.
