A woman who lost the use of her arms and legs following a severe car accident has sued the company that manufactured the safety restraints in her vehicle, winning a historic payout. New Jersey residents may be pleased to hear the woman has been awarded over $43 million after her safety restraints failed in a 2007 car accident that left her quadriplegic. Johnson Controls Inc., the company responsible for building the seat belt assembly, is considering an appeal of the defective product suit.
According to court records, the woman was rear ended back in 2007 and her seat collapsed upon impact, causing her to become unrestrained. Expert witnesses have attested that the accident should not have caused that level of injury had the safety restraints worked as they were intended to. Although Johnson Controls stands behind its product and continues to argue that the fault does not lie with them, a jury disagreed.
The woman has been awarded damages totaling $43.1 million. This includes over $600,000 for past medical expenses, $26 million for future medical expenses, as well as past and future loss of income and pain and suffering totaling over $13 million. It is hoped the size and scope of this ruling will encourage other production companies to ensure their products are safe for public use.
A defective product can pose a considerable threat to consumers, as evidenced by this tragic case. While no amount of money will ever bring back this woman’s mobility, the case has hopefully set a precedent that product standards all over the United States including here in New Jersey must be adhered to. Hopefully, some good can come out of a tragic accident of this type.
Source:Â vtdigger.org, “$43.1 million awarded to paraplegic in personal injury suit against Johnson Controls Inc.,” Hilary Niles, July 2, 2013
