Jury Awards $14.2 Million for Fatal Defective Truck Design
A vehicle's transmission was negligently designed. The truck suddenly slipped from park into reverse, causing the vehicle to move backward and strike a person.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $14,200,000
- County
- Maricopa County, AZ
- Resolved
- 2016
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $14,200,000 is above the median of $14,473 for other cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $4,770 to $42,056, based on 190 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A plaintiff was struck and killed when a truck allegedly slipped from park into reverse, causing the vehicle to move backward suddenly. The plaintiff's representatives subsequently filed a lawsuit against the vehicle manufacturer, alleging negligent design of the truck's transmission.
During the trial, experts for the plaintiff testified regarding mechanical engineering, vehicle accident reconstruction, and design defects, as well as human factors in product design and safety. The defendant presented experts who focused on human factors, warning labels, and failure analysis of automobile systems. Following the trial, a jury found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded $14,200,000.
Understanding This Case
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Maricopa County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2016, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome significantly deviates from similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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