Jury Awards $37.61 Million in Defective Seat Belt Product Liability
One driver was involved in a rollover collision. The passenger in the third row of the vehicle suffered a broken neck, resulting in quadriplegia. The passenger sued the vehicle manufacturer, alleging the restraint system was defectively designed. The jury found the seat belt was defective and awarded damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Spinal Cord Injury Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic outcomes of car accidents, potentially resulting in partial or complete paralysis. These injuries require extensive medical care and significantly impact quality of life.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $37,610,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Accident Type
- Rollover
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $37,610,000 is near the median of $25,955,498 for spinal cord injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $7,000,000 to $67,470,000, based on 23 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A passenger in a 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan sustained a broken neck, resulting in C6-7 quadriplegia, during a rollover collision. The passenger, seated in the vehicle's third row, had used a shoulder belt secured from the ceiling.
The injured passenger subsequently filed a lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co., the vehicle manufacturer. The plaintiff alleged the restraint system was defectively designed because it allowed the third-row shoulder belt to be used without a corresponding lap anchor. This design, the plaintiff contended, permitted the passenger's torso to move out of the shoulder restraint, placing undue force on the neck during the crash. The plaintiff asserted that the vehicle should have featured integrated seat belts.
The jury awarded more than $37.61 million in damages. Liability was apportioned, with 63 percent assigned to the vehicle manufacturer, 32 percent to the Uber driver, and 5 percent to the passenger. The jury determined that the seat belt was defectively designed and concluded that federal motor vehicle safety standards were inadequate to protect the public from an unreasonable risk of injury.
Understanding This Case
- Spinal cord injuries are typically permanent, though some incomplete injuries may see partial recovery. Life expectancy may be reduced, and quality of life is significantly impacted.
- 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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2019, 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 differs from typical similar cases
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