Georgia Defective Minivan Wrongful Death Settles, Amount Undisclosed

On July 27, 2002, a toddler died in Georgia after a minivan, manufactured by Chrysler Corporation (the defendant's predecessor), rolled down a driveway. The child had shifted the vehicle out of park, fell out, and was pinned under its right front tire. The child's parent subsequently filed a wrongful death action against Daimler Chrysler Corporation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

The plaintiff alleged the minivan was defective due to the absence of a brake shift interlock, a safety feature preventing the vehicle from shifting out of park unless the brake was engaged. Claims included strict products liability, negligence, and failure to warn or recall/retrofit. The case proceeded to a jury trial, which on March 1, 2006, returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The jury awarded $2,250,000 to the parent and $2,250,000 to the child's estate for pain and suffering. However, the jury also found the parent partially at fault, reducing that award to $1,147,500.

A judgment was entered for the plaintiff on March 8, 2006. On August 1, 2006, the court granted the defendant's motion for a new trial. The parties then requested the case be marked as settled and dismissed with prejudice, leading to its formal dismissal on November 8, 2006.