$55M Personal Injury Verdict Against Honda Stands

Santa Clara, CAA $55 million jury verdict brought against Honda Motor Co, in 2014 will stand, according to a ruling by the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The settlement resulted from a personal injury lawsuit against Honda that alleged the automotive manufacturer ignored a seat belt defect. The suit was brought by a man who claimed that defect resulted in his becoming paralyzed.

Plaintiff Carlos Martinez filed the lawsuit against Honda in 2011, alleging that as a result of the defect, he became a quadriplegic after his 1999 Acura Integra rolled over.

In June 2014, the Philadelphia jury hearing Martinez’ case awarded the $55 million verdict against Honda. At that time, Martinez’s attorneys called the award the highest ever issued in that state in an
defective automotive personal injury lawsuit.

Honda appealed the ruling citing a key Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision updating the state’s tort law that was issued after the $55 million verdict but before post-trial motions. Honda argued that the new ruling should have compelled the judge to order a new trial. That argument was rejected.