Trial Team Leader Craig Peters and Attorney David L. Winnett‘s case Doe vs. Mazda was featured in San Francisco Chronicle’s Northern California Verdicts section. The case involved a high-speed traffic collision where a truck ran into Doe’s stopped Mazda Protege, causing the Mazda’s car seatback to collapse and fold in half on impact. This seatback failure caused serious and life-altering injuries to the plaintiff, and the jury returned a verdict in her favor on April 1, 2016 for $14.9 million.
This verdict against Mazda sets a precedent for safety in high-speed crashes that will hopefully improve safety standards for all drivers. Every automotive manufacturer is on notice of the expectation of consumers, and the industry risks of being held liable for the inadequate strength of their seatbacks. It is hoped that this verdict will push the automotive industry forward to embrace a new standard for consumer safety in freeway-speed collisions and set a new standard in automobile safety across the nation.