$850,000 settlement – defective van design causes internal and orthopedic injuries

John Elliott Leighton represented a passenger in a large van which was transporting military personnel. This was the type of van that had 3 rows of passenger seating.  The van struck a toll plaza wall while our client was using a lap belt. He suffered internal injuries. There was no shoulder restraint available on the 3rd row seat of this van. The lap belt was the cause of the internal injuries.  Mr. Leighton brought a lawsuit against the automobile manufacturer for defective design and a lack of crashworthiness. He proved that the manufacturer knew the hazards of lap belt only-restrained passengers, yet made a decision not to install shoulder belts because of cost. After discovery, Mr. Leighton obtained a settlement of $850,000 prior to trial for our client.

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