Philadelphia County Jury Awards $11.7M in Tire Defect Negligence

A motor vehicle accident occurred due to a defective tire retread, resulting in severe injuries to the occupants. One plaintiff sustained an arm amputation, and an infant involved in the incident suffered the loss of a leg. The plaintiffs subsequently filed a lawsuit, alleging that the defective tire component caused the collision and their resulting injuries. During the proceedings, the plaintiffs presented testimony from numerous experts, including specialists in accident reconstruction, economics, vocational counseling, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and prosthetics. These experts likely provided evidence concerning the incident's cause, the extent of the plaintiffs' injuries, and the associated damages. The case concluded with an award of $11,700,000 to the plaintiffs, reflecting the severity of the injuries and the evidence presented.

A motorcyclist was injured in a rear-end collision on Hunting Park Avenue in North Philadelphia on June 10, 2017. The plaintiff, a restaurant worker, alleged the defendant, driving a sedan, negligently changed lanes abruptly, causing the plaintiff to strike the rear of the defendant's vehicle and be ejected from the motorcycle. The defense maintained that the plaintiff was liable for the collision, citing his blood alcohol level of 0.215 after the accident. A defense expert in toxicology testified that such impairment would have severely affected the plaintiff's reaction time, depth perception, and judgment. The defense argued that the plaintiff was too impaired to have avoided the collision, even if the lane change occurred as alleged. The plaintiff testified that his perception and ability to operate the motorcycle were unaffected despite his inebriation, a claim reportedly corroborated by a friend also riding a motorcycle. The plaintiff suffered multiple facial injuries, including 11 fractures to the mandible, orbital bones, and nasal bone, along with six missing teeth. He underwent three open reduction procedures with internal fixation and made a recovery, noting some scarring and numbness. The plaintiff sought to recover a medical lien of $100,000 and damages for past and future pain and suffering. After a three-day trial, a jury in Philadelphia determined that the defendant was 52 percent liable and the plaintiff was 48 percent liable. The jury assessed total damages at $300,000, which was reduced to $156,000 to reflect the comparative negligence finding.

On March 2, 2012, a driver was operating a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, towing a rented U-Haul box trailer, on Interstate 80 in Illinois. The vehicle and trailer reportedly jack-knifed due to a defective condition of the trailer, leading to a collision with a tractor-trailer owned by K&B Transportation, Inc. Both vehicles came to rest in the center grassy median. The driver of the Trailblazer suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. In November 2014, the injured driver and their spouse filed an amended complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, against U-Haul International, Inc., U-Haul Co. of California, Colusa Quick Service Market, and K&B Transportation, Inc. The lawsuit alleged claims of strict products liability, negligence, and reckless conduct. The driver also sought damages for personal injuries, while the spouse claimed loss of consortium. The case was later removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and consolidated with another action. An amended complaint was filed in June 2016, adding General Motors, LLC as a defendant with claims for strict products liability and negligence. The plaintiffs settled their claims against all defendants except K&B Transportation, Inc. A jury trial against K&B Transportation, Inc. began in June 2017. During the trial, the parties reached a settlement, and the court dismissed the action with prejudice. The case concluded with a reported settlement of $9,750,000.

A lawsuit was filed following a tractor-trailer collision. The plaintiff engaged experts in truck accident reconstruction, forensic investigations, neuropsychology, actuarial services, and transportation safety. The defendant presented experts in injury biomechanics, occupant kinematics, mechanical engineering, and accident reconstruction. Other experts in forensic pathology, automotive engineering, and transportation logistics also provided testimony. The record does not detail the specific allegations, arguments, or the final resolution of the case.

A legal dispute arose following a motor vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer and a pickup truck. The plaintiff alleged damages and presented expert testimony in fields such as truck accident investigation, neuropsychology, rehabilitation nursing, and forensic economics. The defendant countered these claims with their own experts, who specialized in areas including accident reconstruction, injury biomechanics, transportation safety, and human factors analysis. The case concluded on June 3, 2019, when the parties reached a settlement agreement.