Seatbelt Defense

We represented a large automobile manufacturer in a case relating to a vehicle accident. The driver was struck by another vehicle and ejected, ending up in a coma before ultimately passing away. Plaintiffs alleged that vehicle defects contributed to the driver’s demise. We became the first Kentucky case in which an auto manufacturer was allowed to use the seatbelt defense in a product liability crash worthiness claim, proving to the trial judge that a seat belt would have significantly reduced the victim’s risks. The jury eventually handed down a defense verdict, finding that the vehicle was not defective.