Dallas County Jury Awards $387.6M for Defective Car Seats

On September 25, 2016, a family was involved in a rear-end collision on State Highway 85 in Dallas County, Texas. The driver was operating a 2002 Lexus ES 300, with a spouse in the front passenger seat and two minor children restrained in the back seat. While the plaintiff driver and spouse reportedly did not sustain major injuries from the impact, the vehicle's two front seats allegedly failed and collapsed into the back, striking the minor plaintiffs. Both children sustained skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries.

The parents, individually and as next friends of the minor children, subsequently filed a complaint in the Texas 134th Judicial District Court for Dallas County. They alleged strict products liability against Toyota Motor North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., and Toyota Motor Corporation, asserting the front seats were defectively designed and failed in a rear-impact collision. Negligence claims were also filed against the driver and owner of the striking vehicle, along with negligence and gross negligence claims against all defendants. Toyota Motor North America was later dismissed from the case.

A jury trial ensued. The parties had stipulated to the past reasonable and necessary medical expenses for the minor plaintiffs. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, finding a design defect that caused the injuries. The jury also determined that a safer alternative design could have reduced the risk of injuries and was both economically and technologically feasible. They assigned 90% fault to Toyota Motor Corporation, 5% to Toyota Motor Sales as the non-manufacturing vehicle seller, and 5% to the driver of the striking vehicle.

The jury awarded the family a total of approximately $243.2 million. This included substantial damages for past and future physical pain, mental anguish, loss of earning capacity, disfigurement, physical impairment, and medical expenses for the minor plaintiffs, as well as mental anguish for the parents. Additionally, the jury awarded $144.4 million in exemplary damages against Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Sales.