Class Action
Podhurst Orseck Secures Class Certification for 6 Million Fiat Chrysler Owners in Takata Airbag MDL
June 2023 – A Florida federal judge has certified a class of approximately 6 million Fiat Chrysler vehicle owners across 11 states and the District of Columbia in the ongoing multidistrict litigation involving allegedly defective Takata airbags.
Podhurst Orseck partners Peter Prieto, Aaron S. Podhurst, Stephen F. Rosenthal, John Gravante III, and Matthew P. Weinshall serve as counsel for the certified class. “We are pleased with the court’s order certifying the classes,” said Prieto. “The decision confirms that the airbag defect is common and uniform across all class members.”
U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno found that the plaintiffs presented common questions suitable for classwide resolution, rejecting FCA’s argument that individualized differences regarding the company’s knowledge of the airbags precluded certification.
The lawsuit asserts that the automaker failed to disclose the dangers of ammonium nitrate-based inflators, which have been linked to injuries and deaths nationwide, and that consumers relied on FCA’s representations about vehicle safety when purchasing their cars.
With class certification now granted, the litigation will proceed toward trial, providing a pathway for affected vehicle owners to seek compensation and hold FCA accountable for its role in the defective Takata airbag scandal.
Additional reporting on this matter can be found in Law360.