WINDSOR

Three Windsor plaintiffs sue Takata over airbags

CTV Windsor Published Friday, March 27, 2015 4:48PM EDT Last Updated Friday, March 27, 2015 5:03PM EDT

A crash test of a vehicle subject to the faulty air bags recall, a 2002 Honda CR-V. (AP/ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

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Takata Corp. is being sued by three plaintiffs in Windsor for $2.4 billion, Merchant Law Group LLP confirmed on Friday.

Merchant Law Group has launched class action litigation in respect of about 400,000 vehicles in Canada equipped with airbags manufactured by Takata.

“It’s a very big number and it flows from the issue of repair and the value of the vehicle,” says class-action lawyer Tony Merchant. “They’ve gone in a variety of vehicles.”

Merchant Group says affected models may include Chrysler, Dodge Ram, Ford, Honda, Mazda and Pontiac, Toyota, Nissan and other brands.

In the event of an accident, these defective airbags may rupture on deployment, shooting metal and plastic shrapnel into their vehicle causing serious injury, according to the Merchant Law Group website.

The class action seeks compensation for affected vehicle owners or lessees due to the alleged safety defect. It will seek financial compensation or benefits for affected Canadians who own or lease one of the alleged defective vehicles in question.