Personal Injury Law

$1.8 Million Award Against Hyundai Following Teen's Death

By Louthian Law Firm

A jury in San Angelo (Texas) federal court has reached a $1.8 million award against Hyundai Motor Company in favor of the plaintiff - the father of a 19-year-old girl killed in 2007, reports GoSanAngelo.

The teenager was a passenger in a car driven by her sister when the car veered off the road and rolled over. Although she was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, she was thrown out through the back window of the car because her seat was too far reclined. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

In filing the lawsuit, the father of the dead girl hopes to call on the auto industry to correct the design which allows a car to be driven with the seat reclined. Experts testified a car seat reclined past 45 degrees is unsafe and the safest position for the passenger seat is in the upright position.

The issue of the reclining seat got national attention in 1988 when the NTSB asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to research the problem.

If you have been injured or a loved one killed in an auto accident, it?s important to make sure you understand your legal rights. You may be able to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs, as well as compensation for wrongful death or permanent disability. Contact the experienced car accident attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case at 1-866-410-5656 or fill out our confidential online case evaluation form.

Wrongful Death

Full post as published by South Carolina Lawyer Blog on May 04, 2010 (boomark / email).