Auto Defect Cases
Hanson v. Ford and Firestone (Confidential settlement)
On August 5, 2005, Kelly Hanson and his wife Belinda and two of their daughters, Jacqueline and Jessica, along with several friends were driving to Lake Havasu in a friend’s 2001 Ford E-350 15 passenger van when the left rear tire failed, causing a loss of control and rollover. Kelly and Jessica Hanson were killed and Belinda and Jacqueline were seriously injured. The firm pursued product defect claims against Firestone, which manufactured the defective Steeltex tire, and Ford which designed the unstable 15 passenger van. The case settled in December, 2008 for a confidential amount.
Schloss v. General Motors Confidential Settlement
Settlement obtained on behalf of the family of a college age daughter who died, and a Canadian college student who suffered severe brain injury and resulting quadraplegia after rollover of a Geo Tracker due to instability and handling defects.
Demian v. Ford and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Confidential Settlement
A church group in northern California rented Ford 15 passenger vans from Enterprise to travel to Southern California for a religious retreat. Enterprise failed to advise the church members of the dangers associated with the vans or the need for commercially licensed drivers. One of the vans rolled over leading to deaths of 5 college students and significant injuries to the 10 other church group members.
In representing the families of the church group, GB&W attorneys established that Enterprise had violated its own rules by renting the van to the church and allowing drivers who did not have proper qualifications to drive the vans. Confidential settlements were reached with Enterprise and Ford.
Frankl v. Goodyear Confidential Settlement
The firm represented the families of three Air Force members who were killed or injured in a rollover crash in Saudi Arabia, after a Goodyear Wrangler HT Load Range E light truck tire separated, causing the rollover crash of a GM Suburban. A Goodyear employee admitted in a deposition taken by Christine Spagnoli that nylon overlays had fixed the tread separation problem with the tires.
Jensen v. Bluebird Confidential Settlement
The firm represented the widow of a senior citizen who died in a crash involving a Wanderlodge Motorhome manufactured by Bluebird. The motorhomes were recalled after the crash because of design flaws in the front axle.
Castro v. Ford and Firestone Confidential Settlement
Christa Castro died when the rear Firestone FR480 tire on her Ford Explorer separated, causing her to lose control and crash. The tire, which was a full size spare, had good tread but was more than 10 years old when it was placed on the vehicle and failed a few weeks later. Christa's two young daughters survived the crash and the firm represented them and obtained a confidential settlement.
Aboytes v. Chrysler Confidential Settlement
The front seat of a Chrysler mini-van collapsed backwards when the van was rear ended. Jocelyn Aboytes, sitting in a car seat behind her father, suffered extensive brain damage when her father's head crushed her skull. The firm brought a suit against Chrysler for defective design of the weak seat back and obtained a confidential settlement that will provide for Jocelyn's care for the rest of her life.
Mancuso v. Super Shuttle Confidential Settlement
A SuperShuttle driver died when his CNG fuel tank exploded. The tank had been damaged when the van was rear ended a few weeks earlier and scratches and battery acid eroded the protective coating on the tank weakening the tank and ultimately failing from the pressurized fuel in the tank.
Torres v. Cooper Confidential Settlement
Wrongful death lawsuit brought on behalf of the family of a woman killed when her car was struck by an SUV that went out of control after a TBC tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company failed.
Martinez v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
Mr. and Mrs. Martinez died and their grand-daughter broke her leg in a crash of an SUV after a Futura Scrambler tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company, experienced a tread separation. The firm represented the surviving family members in a lawsuit against Cooper for defects in the design and manufacture of the tire.
Shulman v. Alcoa Confidential Settlement
An aluminum wheel manufactured by Alcoa broke off of a tractor-trailer, rolled across a freeway and landed on the roof of the Shulman vehicle, killing the driver. The firm represented the widow in a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer of the wheel and studs for design flaws that allowed the studs to break and the wheel to come off at freeway speeds.
Hamada v. Ford, Goodyear and Colley Ford
Lawsuit for wrongful death of passenger following rollover of Ford Explorer after tire failure. Claims included failure to warn that tires over 6 years old were more likely to experience tread separations.
Sandoval v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
One child died, and two others suffered orthopedic and head injuries while riding in a pick-up truck that crashed after a Winston Fun and Mud tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company, experienced a tread separation. The firm represented the surviving family members in a lawsuit against Cooper for defects in the design and manufacture of the tire.
Gaona v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
The firm represented Martha Gaona in a lawsuit against Cooper Tire for injuries she suffered, included a fractured vertabrae, after a Mastercraft Courser LT tire separated causing a loss of control and rollover.
Bergstrom v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
Two occupants of a pick-u p truck were injured when a rear tire separated causing the vehicle to crash. The law firm represented the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Cooper Tire for defects in the Cooper Discoverer LT tire.
Jensen v. Bluebird Confidential Settlement
The firm represented the widow of a senior citizen who died in a crash involving a Wanderlodge Motorhome manufactured by Bluebird. The motorhomes were recalled after the crash because of design flaws in the front axle.
Castro v. Ford and Firestone Confidential Settlement
Christa Castro died when the rear Firestone FR480 tire on her Ford Explorer separated, causing her to lose control and crash. The tire, which was a full size spare, had good tread but was more than 10 years old when it was placed on the vehicle and failed a few weeks later. Christa's two young daughters survived the crash and the firm represented them and obtained a confidential settlement.
Aboytes v. Chrysler Confidential Settlement
The front seat of a Chrysler mini-van collapsed backwards when the van was rear ended. Jocelyn Aboytes, sitting in a car seat behind her father, suffered extensive brain damage when her father's head crushed her skull. The firm brought a suit against Chrysler for defective design of the weak seat back and obtained a confidential settlement that will provide for Jocelyn's care for the rest of her life.
Mancuso v. Super Shuttle Confidential Settlement
A SuperShuttle driver died when his CNG fuel tank exploded. The tank had been damaged when the van was rear ended a few weeks earlier and scratches and battery acid eroded the protective coating on the tank weakening the tank and ultimately failing from the pressurized fuel in the tank.
Torres v. Cooper Confidential Settlement
Wrongful death lawsuit brought on behalf of the family of a woman killed when her car was struck by an SUV that went out of control after a TBC tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company failed.
Martinez v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
Mr. and Mrs. Martinez died and their grand-daughter broke her leg in a crash of an SUV after a Futura Scrambler tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company, experienced a tread separation. The firm represented the surviving family members in a lawsuit against Cooper for defects in the design and manufacture of the tire.
Shulman v. Alcoa Confidential Settlement
An aluminum wheel manufactured by Alcoa broke off of a tractor-trailer, rolled across a freeway and landed on the roof of the Shulman vehicle, killing the driver. The firm represented the widow in a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer of the wheel and studs for design flaws that allowed the studs to break and the wheel to come off at freeway speeds.
Hamada v. Ford, Goodyear and Colley Ford
Lawsuit for wrongful death of passenger following rollover of Ford Explorer after tire failure. Claims included failure to warn that tires over 6 years old were more likely to experience tread separations.
Sandoval v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
One child died, and two others suffered orthopedic and head injuries while riding in a pick-up truck that crashed after a Winston Fun and Mud tire manufactured by Cooper Tire Company, experienced a tread separation. The firm represented the surviving family members in a lawsuit against Cooper for defects in the design and manufacture of the tire.
Gaona v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
The firm represented Martha Gaona in a lawsuit against Cooper Tire for injuries she suffered, included a fractured vertabrae, after a Mastercraft Courser LT tire separated causing a loss of control and rollover.
Bergstrom v. Cooper Tire Confidential Settlement
Two occupants of a pick-u p truck were injured when a rear tire separated causing the vehicle to crash. The law firm represented the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Cooper Tire for defects in the Cooper Discoverer LT tire.
Lee v. Ford Motor Co.: Verdict $4,697,347.00
On July 23, 2010, a Los Angeles jury found that a Ford E350 passenger van had a defective roof and awarded Sang Mook Lee, a professor from Seoul National University in Korea, damages for permanent spinal cord injuries he suffered when the 1998 van he was driving on a field trip in Southern California rolled over and its roof crushed.
Demian v. Ford Motor Co. and Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Confidential Settlements
A church group in Hayward, California rented several Ford 15 passenger vans from Enterprise for a retreat. While driving to Southern California, one of the van drivers lost control and the van rolled over, leading to the deaths of five of the 15 college students in the van, and serious injuries to several others. The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) has issued several consumer advisories about the high rollover risk of 15 passenger vans, particularly when loaded with more than 10 occupants, and has warned that drivers of these vehicles should have special training and experience.
Aboytes v. Chrysler: Confidential Settlement
A family was stopped at red light in their Chrysler mini-van when it was rear-ended, causing the driver’s seat back to collapse rearward. The driver’s head struck the head of his small daughter who was seated behind him in her car seat, causing a fractured skull and leaving the daughter with permanent brain injuries. The lawsuit against Chrysler for the defective design of the seatback was settled for a confidential amount.
Schloss v. General Motors and Suzuki: Confidential Settlement
Jody Schloss and her friend Karen Fenn were returning to Canada from Southern California in Jody’s Geo Tracker SUV, when they were hit by strong wind gusts. Jody lost control of the Tracker and it rolled over. Karen died and Jody suffered permanent brain injuries and quadriplegia. A lawsuit was filed against GM and Suzuki which jointly manufactured the Geo Tracker and its sister vehicle, the Suzuki Sidekick, because the vehicle’s high CG and short wheelbase made the vehicle highly susceptible to rollovers.
Anderson v. General Motors Verdict: $4.9 billion
Christine Spagnoli was an integral member of the trial team in the action against General Motors for defective fuel system that led to burn injuries to four children and two adults. This is amongst the largest products liability verdicts in American judicial history.
Logan v. Ford and Firestone Confidential Settlement
Record settlement achieved on behalf of a family members who were in a Ford Explorer that was in a rollover accident after a Firestone tire suffered a tread separation. The tires were later recalled by Firestone. The Firm participated in groundbreaking depositions of Ford witnesses including former CEO Jacques Nasser and current CEO William Clay Ford, Jr.
Gutierrez v. Isuzu Verdict: $5.3 million
Isuzu Rodeo rollover resulted in seatbelted passenger suffering lower left leg amputation and head injury. Automotive design defect and negligent testing attributed to causing accident.
Balcik v. Isuzu Confidential Settlement
Nurse practitioner suffered severe disfiguring burns after her Isuzu Trooper caught fire when she was rear- ended on the freeway. The gas tank on the Isuzu Trooper was placed in a vulnerable location behind the rear axle without adequate protection in a crash.
Mathews v. Goodyear Confidential Settlement
Brian Mathews, a former LAPD bomb squad officer, was injured in a crash involving his GM Suburban after the failure of a Goodyear Load Range E tire. The tread on the Goodyear tire separated, causing a loss of control and rollover. Mathews was ejected from the vehicle and suffered a spinal cord injury and is now a paraplegic. Discovery in the case led to an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and as a result Goodyear voluntarily recalled many LRE tires.
De La Torre v. Cooper Tire Company Confidential Settlement
Tire tread separation rollover accident of a Ford truck that involved the death of several people.
Colmanares v. Doe Corporation Settlement: $2.5 million
Wrongful death of two minor children, ages 13 and 15, burned to death in a pick up truck which burst into flames as the result of a defectively designed filler neck and gas cap.
Linares v. General Motors Verdict: $2.5 million
GM found negligent of failure to warn after plaintiff, a furniture mover, suffered severe burns when his supervisor attempted to re-start the vehicle by priming the carburetor with gasoline.
Luu v. Doe Corporation Settlement: $2 million
Action against automaker for defective filler neck system and inadequate welds of unibody frame resulting in severe burn injuries to occupant.
Rapan v. Dorel Juvenile Group, Cosco and Daimler Chrysler Confidential Settlement
Settlement obtained on behalf of a child who suffered a devastating spinal cord injury. Two-and-a-half-year-old Isaiah Rapan was injured in a crash while secured in a Cosco Grand Explorer shield booster seat in the rear seat of his parent's Jeep Cherokee. GB&W attorneys established that the booster seat and the Jeep car seat were poorly designed and caused Isaiah's injuries.
Niley v. General Motors Confidential Settlement
Jessica Niley, a 22-year-old college student, was hit in the face by an air bag in a GM vehicle. The force of the air bag caused debilitating brain injuries that left Jessica in a permanent vegetative state.
Doe Individual v. Doe Corporation Confidential Settlement
Industrial accident involving a brake failure on a loader causing orthopedic injuries to the victim.
Anchetta v.Ford Confidential Settlement
Representing a family that rented a 15-passenger van for a cross-country trip to attend a family gathering. One of the family members died and several others were seriously injured in a rollover of the van.