Jury awards damages in Jeep explosion case

Three years ago, a 4 year-old Georgia boy was killed when a Jeep exploded after being rear-ended by a pickup truck. The personal injury attorney handling the case, a member of the American Association for Justice, successfully advocated for the child’s family, holding Chrysler accountable. He argued that “…Chrysler placed the gas tank in a “crush zone” behind the rear axle and knew the location was dangerous, and that the company failed to protect the gas tank against rupturing.”

The verdict comes nearly two years after Chrysler compromised with a federal safety agency and agreed to a scaled-down recall of some older-model Jeeps with the rear-mounted tanks. The tanks have little structure to protect them if struck from behind, making them susceptible to punctures and fires.

Federal documents show that at least 75 people have died in post-crash fires because of the rear-mounted fuel tanks.

Although the verdict is large, it isn’t the largest judgment ever against an automaker in a personal injury case. In 1999, a California jury ordered General Motors Co. to pay $4.9 billion after a Chevrolet Malibu was rear-ended and burst into flames. In that case, four children in the back seat were severely injured. The amount was reduced on appeal to $1.2 billion.

The Manchester, NH Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC provides legal representation for injured victims. Those who have suffered injuries through no fault of their own are encouraged to consult with the NH personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC at 603-624-7200.