Takata settles with Japan woman injured by air bag for reported $119,000

A woman injured by a faulty Takata Corp. air bag has settled her case and withdrawn her complaint, Japanese media reported Wednesday. The case was filed in May and was the first in Japan related to the unfolding massive global recall due to air bag problems. The woman was in the front seat passenger of a 2006 Nissan X-Trail sport-utility vehicle when the vehicle crashed on a freeway in October and the air bag burst improperly, although the one for the driver’s seat worked properly, according to Nissan Motor Co. NHK TV said the settlement totalled 12 million yen ($119,000).

The risk posed by the airbag inflators in these vehicles is grave, and it is critical they be repaired now to avoid more deaths and serious injuries.

US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Takata declined to give specifics, giving as the reason that another party, the woman, was involved. Nissan declined to comment. The woman was injured in the face, the left arm and right hand, Nissan said. The car model involved in the crash was part of a recall announced in May last year. The vehicle had been brought in, but no parts were replaced after a check to see if the bag’s inflator was airtight, which at the time Nissan thought meant it was safe. After the accident, Nissan decided to replace all inflators, regardless of whether they are airtight. US regulators last week urged all motorists driving vehicles using Takata airbags to stop using them until the component had been replaced.

Takata