Verdicts & Decisions
CASE RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE. CASE
RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE CASE.
APRIL 2008
Nissan Wins Summary Judgment in Child Injury Seatback Case
April 1, 2008, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge C. Edward Simpson granted the Motion for Summary Judgment of Nissan North America, Inc. and two of its dealers in this automotive crashworthiness case. Click here to read about the case.
FEBRUARY 2008
Toyota Wins Verdict in Rollover Crashworthiness Case in Nevada
On Monday, February 4, 2008, a Washoe County District Court jury agreed that the 2001 Toyota Sienna was not defective. In doing so, the jury rejected Plaintiffs' unspecified request for general and wrongful death damages and over $17 million in special damages. Click here for more information.
NOVEMBER 2007
Kia Wins Defense Verdict in Seatbelt Case
On Friday, November 16, 2007, a jury in the Los Angeles Superior Court unanimously agreed that there was no design defect in the restraint system of the 1995 Kia Sephia, and rejected a request for more than $13 million in civil damages. Click here to read about this verdict.
OCTOBER 2007
Takata Wins Defense Verdict in Case Claiming Seat Belt Stuck
On October 1, 2007, a federal district court jury in Scranton, Pennsylvania returned a unanimous verdict finding no defect in the Takata seat belt retractor installed in a 1993 Geo Tracker, rejecting claims that an alleged manufacturing defect prevented the plaintiff from using his seat belt and therefore caused him to sustain a depressed skull fracture and traumatic brain injury when the Tracker crashed. Click here to read the entire report.
AUGUST 2007
Belt Manufacturer Takata Wins Defense Verdict in Rollover Case Claiming "Intertial Unlatch"
After nearly three weeks of trial, on August 2, 2007, a jury in Rapid City, South Dakota returned a verdict in favor of the seat belt manufacturer defendants, Takata Corporation and TK Holdings Inc., in a case where plaintiffs claimed that both front seat belts had come unlatched during a rollover crash involving a 1996 Geo Tracker. Click here for the entire story.
JULY 2007
Ford Wins Defense Verdict in Rollover/Roof Crush Case
A federal district court jury in St. Paul, Minnesota returned a unanimous verdict July 5, 2007 finding no defect in the roof of a 2001 Ford F-150 Supercab pickup truck, rejecting claims that the crushing of an allegedly defective roof caused the driver's neck injury and permanent quadriplegic paralysis. Click here for more information.
JUNE 2007
Tucson jury agrees Nissan not liable in fire case
A Pima County, Arizona, Superior Court jury found that the fuel injection system in a 1987 Nissan Maxima was not defective in design, rejecting claims that Nissan was responsible for the damages sustained by plaintiff in a 2003 fire that destroyed plaintiff's home. The jury in Armed Forces Insurance Exchange/Robinson v. Nissan North America deliberated for four hours before rendering an 8-1 verdict for the Nissan Click here for the entire story.
California Jury "Finds Ford Explorer Roof Not Defective
Gardena, CA (June 25, 2007) - On Friday, June 22, 2007, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury found that the roof of Ford's 1999 Explorer was not defective in design, rejecting claims that Ford was responsible for the death of the driver in a single vehicle rollover crash. The jury in Judith Caylor v. Ford Motor Company deliberated one day before rendering its verdict for Ford, after a three week trial. For more information Click here.
MAY 2007
California Jury Finds Air Bag System in Chevrolet Avalanche Not Defective
On Thursday, May 24, a Santa Cruz County, California, Superior Court jury found that the air bag system in a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche was not defective in design, rejecting claims that General Motors and the State of California were responsible for the injuries sustained by plaintiff in a 2004 crash. The jury in Paul Megison v. General Motors Corporation, State Of California Department Of Transportation (Cal Trans), and Ron Carrillo Mabalot deliberated for two and a half hours before rendering a unanimous verdict for the defendants. Click here for the entire report.
North Carolina Jury Exonerates Ford in Child Paralysis Seat Belt Case
After five weeks of trial, a unanimous state court jury agreed on May 3, 2007 that Ford Motor Company was not responsible for the injuries to two children resulting from an automobile accident that left one a paraplegic. Plaintiffs Cheyenne Stark (now age 9) and Cody Stark (now age 13), demanded compensatory and punitive damages in their Complaint and asked for $25 million dollars for Cheyenne and $200,000 for Cody in their closing argument at trial. The jury found that Ford was not liable for either of the children's claims. Click here for more information.
Directed Verdict for Ford in Seven Week Fuel System Crashworthiness Trial
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - After seven weeks of trial, Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Bryan D. Garruto directed a verdict in favor of Ford Motor Company. RICHARD DOUGLAS CANNON vs. E & D AUTO REPAIR TOWING a/k/a E & D REPAIR, GERARD M. TABER, AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, INC., NEW JERSEY AUTOMOBILE CLUB, AAA CENTRAL-WEST JERSEY, AAA MID-ATLANTIC, INC., FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MENTOR ENGINEERING, INC. d/b/a MENTOR CAMPANA SYSTEMS, INC. d/b/a CAMPANA and AXIS; AAA CENTRAL-WEST JERSEY (Defendant/Third Party Plaintiff) v. HARLEYSVILLE INSURANCE CMPANY and FORD MOTOR COMPANY (Third Party Defendants), Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, Case No. MID-L-677-02. Click here for more information.
FEBRUARY 2007
Federal Court Jury Renders Defense Verdict For Ford in Alleged Explorer Steering Failure Claim
On Friday, February 23, a federal court jury in Los Angeles, California rejected claims of manufacturing defect, design defect, and negligence, against Ford Motor Company in two consolidated lawsuits arising from a single vehicle crash of a 1998 Ford Explorer. The seven member jury deliberated less than 2 hours before announcing its unanimous decision exonerating Ford following a two week trial in the courtroom of Federal Judge Christina A. Snyder of the Central District of California. Click here for more information.
JANUARY 2007
Catastrophic Burn Injury Case Against Yamaha Dismissed for Intentional Spoliation of Evidence
On January 16, 2007, Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez denied plaintiffs' motion to reconsider her November 14, 2006, order dismissing the plaintiffs complaint against Yamaha for intentional spoliation of evidence in Joseph Provenza, a minor, by and through his father, Michael Provenza and Kim Provenza v. Yamaha Motor Co., LTD.; Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.; Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America; Yamaha Corporation of America; Lemans Corporation; David Bongiorno; San Diego Sportcycles; Fariborz Sardi'; and Does 1 through 300, inclusive, Case No. A446708, in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County, Nevada. Click here for more information about this case.
DECEMBER 2006
Macomb County Jury Finds Ford Not at Fault in SUV Crash
On Thursday, December 7th, a Macomb County Jury found that a 2000 Ford Explorer was not defective in a rollover crash that killed one plaintiff and injured another plaintiff. The jury dismissed claims that Ford Motor Company and Jerome Duncan Ford were responsible for the injuries to Ms. Joan Gorman and the death of Mary Ann Torpey in a 2001 multiple vehicle crash and rollover. After nearly 3-months in trial, the jury in Kathleen Dolan, et al. vs. Ford Motor Company et al., deliberated for 75 minutes before rendering a unanimous verdict for the defendants. Click here for more information about this case.
NOVEMBER 2006
Arizona Jury Finds No Defect in Chevrolet C1500 Pickup Truck
On Thursday, November 2nd, a jury in the Maricopa County Superior Court found that a 1998 Chevrolet C1500 pickup truck was not defective, rejecting claims that General Motors Corporation was responsible for the injuries sustained by Plaintiff in a 2001 single vehicle crash. The jury in Jeff Brethauer vs. General Motors Corporation deliberated for five hours before rendering a verdict for the defendant. Click here for more information about this case.
OCTOBER 2006
California Court Reverses Decision in Ford Limousine Warranty Case
On Friday, October 27th, 2006, in a case of first impression, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District Court, held that out-of-state businesses cannot recover under California's lemon law for vehicles purchased in California, but registered elsewhere. In so ruling, the Court reversed a $489,380.13 lemon law verdict for plaintiff Park City Services, Inc., a Dallas limousine service. Park City Services, Inc. vs. Ford Motor Company, Inc. Click here for more information about this case.
SEPTEMBER 2006
New Mexico Jury Finds Seat Belt System in Subaru Legacy Not Defective
On Thursday, September 28, 2006, a Santa Fe County, New Mexico, District Court jury found that the seat belt restraint system in a 1998 Subaru Legacy was not defective in design, rejecting claims that Subaru and its seat belt supplier were responsible for the injuries sustained by plaintiff in a 2000 single vehicle rollover crash. The jury in Donald E. Kilgore and Carole A. Kilgore vs. Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Takata Corporation and Takata Seat Belts, Inc. deliberated for just over two hours before rendering a verdict for the manufacturing defendants. Click here for more information about this case.
California Jury Finds Nissan Pathfinder Not Defective
On Friday, September 22, 2006, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury found that Nissan's 1990 Pathfinder was not defective in design, rejecting claims that Nissan was responsible for the injuries sustained by plaintiff in a 2003 single vehicle rollover crash. The jury in Scott Gordon v. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. deliberated two days before rendering its verdict for Nissan. Click here for more information about this case.
JUNE 2006
CA Appeals Court Affirms Attorney's Fees to Subaru in Warranty Claim
On Tuesday, June 2, 2006, a California Appeals Court affirmed the trial court's award of attorney's fees to Subaru of America in Mendez v. Subaru. Plaintiff Luis Mendez was ordered by the trial court to pay Subaru $75,000 in attorneys fees following the finding he attempted to commit fraud and he did not bring his warranty claim in good faith. Click here for more information about this case.
MAY 2006
Illinois Jury Says Driver Solely Responsible for Deadly Rollover Crash, Not Ford
On May 19, after two weeks of trial and almost five hours deliberation, an Illinois jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Ford Motor Company in the case of Francois v. Ford. Plaintiffs had claimed Ford's 1994 Explorer had a defective front suspension causing the vehicle to rollover in a hard turn resulting in Lisa Rooney's death and injuries to Kerri Francois. Despite asking the jury for more than $10 million, the unanimous jury agreed the Explorer was not defective and Ford was not liable; rather the sole cause of the accident was the driving by Rooney. Click here for more information about this trial win for our Detroit office.
APRIL 2006
Eau Claire Jury Unanimously Finds Breg's Medical Device is Not Defective
On Tuesday, April 25, a unanimous federal court jury found that Breg, Inc's. Polar Care 300, a Class II medical device, was not defective in the case of Chlopek v. Breg, Inc. The jury of four women and three men took only 80 minutes to deliberate and came back with a unanimous finding of no product defect. Click here for more information about this trial win for our Minneapolis office.
Los Angeles Jury Concludes Toyota's Passive Restraint System Not Defective
On Thursday, April 20, after nearly three weeks of trial and less than three hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury found that Toyota's 1988 Camry passive restraint system was not defective and that it met consumer safety expectations in the case of Malam v. Toyota. Click here for additional information regarding this trial win for our Minneapolis and Los Angeles offices.
Jury Returns a Defense Verdict in Dobrinski v. Toyota Trial
On Tuesday, April 18, following a month of trial, a unanimous Sacramento jury found that Toyota's 1996 Corolla was not defective and it did not cause Jennifer Dobrinski's death. Click here for more information about this trial win for our San Jose and Minneapolis offices.
FEBRUARY 2006
Virginia Jury Agrees Ford’s Escort Airbag Not Defective
After a three-week trial, a unanimous state court jury in Fairfax, VA agreed on February 14, that Ford’s 1995 Escort passenger airbag was not defective, that Ford and the local Ford dealership had not failed in any duty to warn, and that Ford and the dealership were not liable to Berta Benitez for eye injuries that she claimed left her blind in one eye. Plaintiff Benitez had asked the jury to award her $21 million plus punitive damages in her court filings. Click here for more information about this trial win for our Richmond office.
Detroit Jury Agrees BMW Not Liable for Lower Extremity Burns
A unanimous Federal Court jury agreed that BMW NA and BMW AG and its 1992 325i did not have a design defect in the radiator, that there was not a failure to warn and BMW was not responsible for burns to William Croskey. Croskey claimed a design defect caused the radiator to explode and spray boiling hot coolant on his lower extremities causing severe burns and permanent impotence. For more details, Click here.
Archived Verdicts & Decisions
