Air-Bag Settlements Keep Details from Other Victims

Confidential settlements over defective Takata Corp. (7312) air bags are sealing off relevant information that other victims could use to pursue injury claims. The accords make financial sense for the settling parties, but Takata and other defendants, including Honda Motor Co. (7267), General Motors Co. (GM) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU), get an extra advantage in keeping damaging information out of the hands of outsiders interested in suing them. The quick, secret deals -- a cornerstone of product liability litigation across industries -- help explain why years after the first recalls so much remains unknown about defects linked to four U.S. deaths.