Jacksonville Woman Passes Away Two Years After Auto Accident Left Her Paralyzed

A Jacksonville woman has died less than two years after she was left quadriplegic after suffering severe injuries in a car accident.

Patricia Mincey had gained notoriety in the Jacksonville area over the last couple years after filing a lawsuit related to defective airbags in her vehicle. The defendants in the suit are Honda Motor Company, Takata Airbags and Duval Motors of Jacksonville.

According to Mincey’s family and doctors, the airbag exploded with such great force that it broke her back. The accident occurred in June 2014 as Mincey was leaving a church function. She drove through a red light at approximately 30 miles an hour and crashed into a vehicle that was traveling about 20 miles per hour. The airbags did not initially deploy, but then did with explosive force her attorneys say was inconsistent with how these airbags are supposed to function.

The fight continues

Takata has been the subject of international scorn after reports revealed the company was grossly negligent in failing to warn consumers about the potential for its airbags to explode. Honda has recalled millions of vehicles since the problems were revealed. The Japanese automaker was fined $70 million by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2015 because it failed to properly report injuries and deaths in 1,729 cases.

Although Honda and Takata have suffered huge hits to their reputations due to the scandal, many families are still fighting to receive compensation for the injuries that have occurred. With Mincey’s death, her daughter will now be the personal representative of her mother’s estate. Mincey’s case had many obstacles because she was unable to talk due to the ventilator she needed to survive.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to automobile defects or other crash-related issues, contact a trusted Jacksonville auto accident lawyer at Combs Greene, PA.

Attorney Mark Link contributed to this blog post.