Defective airbag class action attorneys are concentrated in three active federal proceedings: the Takata inflator multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Florida, the ARC Automotive inflator MDL in the Northern District of Georgia, and the ZF-TRW airbag control unit litigation in the Central District of California. Court-appointed leadership counsel in each case runs the class claims on behalf of tens of millions of vehicle owners, and separate injury trusts handle personal injury and wrongful death claims from Takata ruptures without requiring a lawyer to file.
Lead Counsel in the Takata Airbag MDL
The Takata civil litigation is consolidated as In Re: Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation (Case No. 1:15-md-02599), before Judge Federico A. Moreno in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.1CourtListener. In Re Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation Peter Prieto of Podhurst Orseck was appointed by Judge Moreno as Chair Lead Counsel for the plaintiffs.2Podhurst Orseck. Eight Automakers Reach More Than $1.5 Billion in Settlements in Takata Airbag Litigation
Other firms listed as parties of record in the Takata MDL include Hagens Berman, Boies Schiller, Robbins Geller, Motley Rice, Baron & Budd, and Lieff Cabraser.3Law360. In Re Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation Motley Rice attorney Kevin R. Dean has investigated more than 100 cases involving defective Takata airbags since filing a wrongful death action in November 2014.4Motley Rice. Takata Airbag
The MDL was structured on two tracks: an economic-loss track for vehicle owners seeking compensation for diminished value and out-of-pocket recall expenses, and a personal injury track for people physically harmed by inflator ruptures.5vLex. In Re Takata Airbag2Podhurst Orseck. Eight Automakers Reach More Than $1.5 Billion in Settlements in Takata Airbag Litigation6Yahoo Finance. Honda Agrees $605 Million Takata7Lieff Cabraser. Ford Motor to Settle Takata Airbag Case for $300 Million8Auto Airbag Settlement. Ford Settlement9Bloomberg Law. Nissan to Pay $98 Million Air Bag Malfunction Settlement10Auto Airbag Settlement. Volkswagen Settlement FAQ
Litigation remains active against General Motors, Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler), and Mercedes-Benz. In February 2025, a federal judge certified several classes of Mercedes-Benz drivers; Mercedes filed a motion asking the court to reconsider that ruling.11Law360. In Re Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation
The ARC Automotive Plaintiffs’ Leadership Committee
Six class actions filed in 2022 against ARC Automotive Inc. were consolidated into MDL 3051, In re: ARC Airbag Inflators Products Liability Litigation, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia before Judge Eleanor L. Ross. Twenty-four lawsuits were pending in the MDL as of September 2025.12Motley Rice. ARC Airbag
In March 2023, the court appointed a seven-member plaintiffs’ leadership committee:13CourtListener. In Re ARC Airbag Inflators Products Liability Litigation
- Roland Tellis, Baron & Budd
- Demet Basar, Beasley Allen
- James E. Cecchi, Carella Byrne
- Elizabeth T. Castillo, Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy
- Matthew D. Schultz, Levin Papantonio
- David S. Stellings, Lieff Cabraser
- Kevin R. Dean, Motley Rice
The ARC litigation covers roughly 51 million inflators in about 49 million vehicles across 13 manufacturers, according to NHTSA’s July 2024 supplemental decision.14NHTSA. ARC Supplemental Initial Decision A wrongful death case against General Motors and ARC settled just before trial in 2025.12Motley Rice. ARC Airbag
Counsel Handling the ZF-TRW Control Unit Litigation
A separate consolidated case, In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation (Case No. 2:19-ml-02905), is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. It involves approximately 12.3 million vehicles whose airbag control units can fail due to electrical overstress, preventing airbag and seat belt pretensioner deployment. Keller Rohrback is among the firms handling the litigation.15Keller Rohrback. ZF-TRW Airbag Sensor Litigation
Hyundai and Kia reached a settlement valued at over $62 million, which received preliminary approval on April 14, 2025. It provides reimbursement for out-of-pocket recall expenses, residual payments of up to $350 for recalled vehicles and up to $150 for unrecalled vehicles, and a ten-year warranty on replacement parts. Claims must be filed by April 8, 2027.16ACU Settlement. Hyundai Kia Separate settlements with Toyota and Mitsubishi have already received final approval.15Keller Rohrback. ZF-TRW Airbag Sensor Litigation
What the Class Settlements Do and Don’t Cover
The economic-loss settlements reimburse class members for out-of-pocket expenses incurred during the recall process, such as rental cars and towing, plus residual distribution payments generally in the $250 to $500 range.6Yahoo Finance. Honda Agrees $605 Million Takata They do not compensate for personal injuries or deaths.8Auto Airbag Settlement. Ford Settlement Anyone hurt by a rupture pursues a separate claim, and for Takata that route runs primarily through the two dedicated injury funds rather than the MDL class settlements.
Filing an Injury Claim Without an Attorney
Two funds compensate people physically harmed by Takata inflators. The Individual Restitution Fund, created out of Takata’s January 13, 2017 guilty plea to wire fraud, was set at $125 million and fully funded on March 29, 2017.17U.S. Department of Justice. United States v. Tanaka et al. (Takata Corporation)18Takata Special Master. FAQ The Takata Airbag Tort Compensation Trust Fund, created under a bankruptcy plan confirmed on February 21, 2018, holds between $90 million and $137 million for past and future injury and wrongful death victims.4Motley Rice. Takata Airbag Both funds are administered by Special Master and Trustee Eric D. Green, with claims processed by Epiq.
A single form covers both funds. Hiring an attorney is not required. The claims administrator can be reached at Questions@TakataAirbagInjuryTrust.com or (888) 215-9544.19Takata Airbag Injury Trust. Home
Deadlines matter. For accidents before April 10, 2018, the filing deadline was April 10, 2021. For accidents on or after that date, claimants have the later of three years from the accident or the time allowed by applicable state law.18Takata Special Master. FAQ For vehicles from manufacturers other than Honda, Acura, Nissan, or Infiniti, the trust process does not pause or extend any statute of limitations that might apply to a separate lawsuit, so consulting a lawyer before deadlines run is worth considering.19Takata Airbag Injury Trust. Home
As of mid-2026, both funds have paused new award valuations, citing an unexpected increase in the value of eligible claims. Economic experts are reassessing whether current compensation point values remain sustainable. Valuations already issued will be honored at existing rates.19Takata Airbag Injury Trust. Home
What Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Have to Prove
Airbag defect cases proceed under one or more of three legal theories. Strict product liability holds a manufacturer responsible for a defective product regardless of negligence, so long as the plaintiff proves the product was defective and the defect caused the injury. Negligence requires showing a duty of care, a breach, and causation. Breach of warranty claims turn on whether the product met express promises or implied standards of fitness for its intended use.
Across theories, plaintiffs generally must establish that a defect existed, that it directly caused the injury, and that actual damages resulted. Expert testimony on design or manufacturing is typically necessary to prove the defect. Cases involving manufacturing flaws require evidence that errors occurred in production or that substandard materials were used. Failure-to-warn claims require showing the manufacturer knew of a risk and did not adequately disclose it.