Bexar County Jury Awards $124.5M in Rear-End & Defective Seat Case

On December 18, 2012, in Bexar County, a 7-year-old minor plaintiff was a rear-seat passenger in a vehicle that was struck from behind by another driver. The collision allegedly caused the vehicle's driver's seat to collapse rearward, leading the driver's head to strike the minor plaintiff's head. The minor plaintiff sustained a severe brain injury and fractured skull, resulting in blindness and partial paralysis.

The plaintiffs filed suit in the 73rd Judicial District Court, alleging the defendant driver was negligent in causing the rear-end collision. They also claimed the defendant motor vehicle manufacturer was negligent for defectively designing the driver's seat, which allegedly failed upon impact, and for providing inadequate warnings. The defendants denied the allegations, with the manufacturer asserting its seat was not defective. They also contended that the driver and minor plaintiff were not wearing their seat belts.

After a four-week trial, the jury deliberated for two and a half days before returning a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury assessed liability at 25% to the defendant driver, 55% to the defendant manufacturer, and 20% to the plaintiff driver. The plaintiff was awarded a total of $124,496,993 in damages, including compensation for past and future physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, physical impairment, and medical expenses.