Dallas County Jury Awards $243.2 Million in Defective Seat Collision

In September 2016, a family traveling on State Highway 75 in Dallas County was involved in a rear-end collision when their 2002 Lexus ES 300 was struck by another vehicle. Two child passengers in the Lexus, ages five and three, sustained severe traumatic brain injuries. The family filed a lawsuit against the driver of the striking vehicle for negligence and against Toyota Motor North America Inc., Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., and Toyota Motor Corp., alleging the Lexus ES 300 was defectively designed and marketed, and that the manufacturer was grossly negligent. One Toyota entity and the owner of the striking vehicle were later nonsuited.

The plaintiffs contended that the Lexus's front seats were defectively designed to yield rearward in rear-end collisions, causing front-seat occupants to "ramp" up and over the seatbacks and collide with rear-seat passengers. Their experts testified that this design was defective and that the manufacturer could have prevented the danger by modifying the seat back or enhancing the restraint system. They further argued that the children's injuries resulted from contact with their parents, not from intrusion by the striking vehicle, and that their child restraints were properly used.

Toyota argued that the driver of the striking vehicle was solely responsible for the accident and injuries. The manufacturer maintained that the children's injuries were caused by significant intrusion of the striking vehicle into the Lexus and not by the rearward movement of the front seats or occupants. Toyota denied any defect in its restraint system design, asserting that its vehicles were thoroughly tested for safety, and claimed the collision was unusually severe. The manufacturer also disputed the proper installation and use of the children's restraints. The defendant driver argued that the alleged seat defect exacerbated the injuries, thus minimizing his comparative responsibility, and that the collision was unavoidable due to a sudden stop in traffic.

After a three-week trial, a Dallas County jury found both the driver and the Toyota entities liable. The jury attributed 90 percent of the liability to Toyota Motor Corp., 5 percent to Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., and 5 percent to the defendant driver. The plaintiffs were awarded $242.1 million, which, with stipulated past medical expenses, totaled $243,236,248.71.