$24M Chrysler Wrongful Death Settlement Approved by Judge
A bankruptcy court judge overseeing certain Chrysler assets approved a $24 million settlement in the death of a California longshoreman run over by a Dodge pickup. According to an article, the settlement comes more than two years after a Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded damages of more than $55 million to a deceased man’s family. The family argued the automaker had failed to fix and adequately warn consumers about a transmission defect that made it appear trucks were in park position, when they actually were between gears.
An appeal of the jury verdict by the former DaimlerChrysler was delayed by Chrysler’s Chapter 11 bankrupcty filing in April, leading to negotiations that resulted in a settlement.
The 38-year-old suffered fatal head injuries when he was run over by a 1992 Dodge Dakota at the Port of Los Angeles on April 13, 2004. Both sides in the lawsuit said he had left the truck running without setting the parking brake, but they differed on who was to blame for the accident.
Attorneys for the man’s family argued that the truck slipped into reverse after the man got out. Those attorneys said DaimlerChrysler had received more than 1,000 “park-to-reverse” complaints involving 1988 through 2003 model Dakotas. The family’s attorneys argued that the company issued a recall in 2000 but it was for repairs that failed to fix the problem.
Jurors found in March 2007 that DaimlerChrysler was negligent in the truck’s design, and for failing to warn consumers or adequately recall the vehicle.
Consumers have the right to assume that products they purchase or use have been produced in a manner that would ensure that they are safe and free from unreasonable risks. If a company manufactures a product that is hazardous to the user, the company must be held liable for any injuries or fatalities that occurred due to the faulty product.
There are innumerable products that may pose serious threats to innocent consumers if they have a defect, and may include auto parts, toys, medications, motor vehicles, household appliances, and furniture.
If you have a Pennsylvania defective product claim, you will require the representation of a Philadelphia Pennsylvania products liability attorney from Cherry, Fieger and Marciano, LLP to handle all of the complexities involved with this type of case. There are many steps to a product liability case, beginning with proving that the product was in fact defective, next proving the product was the cause of the injury, and finally proving that the product was not used unreasonably. Contact their firm today to discuss your case with an experienced legal professional.
Source article: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/24/business/AP-US-Chrysler-Bankruptcy-Death-Lawsuit.html
