Jury Awards $55.3 Million for a Defective Seatbelt in a Honda Vehicle

PHILADELPHIA, June 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A jury has awarded a record-setting $55.3 million to a man who became a quadriplegic after his 1999 Acura Integra, which is manufactured by the Honda Motor Company, rolled over and his seatbelt failed to prevent his head from striking the roof. Following a nine-day trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the jury unanimously determined the vehicle's seatbelt was defectively designed and Honda failed to use a safer design alternative and to provide adequate warnings to consumers about the Acura's defective design.

During a 1992 rollover test, Honda found that a seat-belted driver would strike his or her head on the Integra's roof but performed no further testing in an attempt to protect drivers from this hazard.

This record-setting auto defect verdict in Pennsylvania includes $25 million for Mr. Martinez's non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, $14.6 million for his future medical expenses, $15 million for his wife's loss of consortium, and $720,000 for loss of earnings.

"Honda's failure to alert the public to this hazard caused Mr. Martinez to suffer debilitating and painful injuries. This incident could and should have been avoided by a safer design that already existed. Through this verdict, we are hoping to prevent such unnecessary and devastating injuries from happening to others," said attorney Stewart J. Eisenberg of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C.  Stewart J. Eisenberg and Daniel J. Sherry, Jr. represented Mr. Martinez in the case.

About Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg and Jeck, PC
The firm has earned the reputation as one of the premier personal injury firms in the region, having achieved multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of catastrophically injured individuals and their families.  The attorneys at Eisenberg, Rothweiler are respected, experienced, and skilled advocates handling difficult cases and achieving outstanding results for their clients.  For more information, visit www.erlegal.com.

SOURCE Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, PC