Fiat Chrysler Seeks New Trial, Says April Award ‘Grossly Excessive’
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has asked for a new trial following one that ended early in April with a Georgia jury awarding $150 million to the family of a 4-year-old boy killed in a fiery crash involving at 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, reported Reuters. Evidence and the law did not support that verdict in April, the ... Read More »
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has asked for a new trial following one that ended early in April with a Georgia jury awarding $150 million to the family of a 4-year-old boy killed in a fiery crash involving at 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, reported Reuters.
Evidence and the law did not support that verdict in April, the company’s lawyers said in a filing Thursday.
The filing with the Superior Court of Decatur County says the $120 million wrongful death award is more than 11 times the largest death award in Georgia history. The $30 million pain and suffering award is more than four times the largest award upheld in the state, it says.
The filing added: “The jury’s stunning and unprecedented damage awards are grossly excessive.”
The jury found Chrysler, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, was 99 percent at fault in the death of Remington Walden. The driver who slammed into the back of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was found to be 1 percent at fault.
Jeep was a brand of Chrysler and is now an FCA brand.
Attorneys for the Walden family argued that the placement of the Jeep’s fuel tank behind the rear axle made it more likely to cause a fire in the event of a rear-end crash, such as the one that led to the child’s death.
Newer Jeep SUVs do not have gasoline tanks located behind the rear axle.
U.S. safety regulators said last week they were ready to take action soon to accelerate recalls, including one for gas tank fires in Jeep SUVs.
The 1999 Grand Cherokee was not included in a June 2013 recall of 1.56 million Jeep SUVs as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and FCA had agreed to limit the recalls. The safety regulator had earlier pushed for a wider recall of 2.7 million Jeeps.
More Industry

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →
Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity
As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.
Read More →
Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan
The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.
Read More →
Selling to Grow
The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.
Read More →
Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High
Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.
Read More →
Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop
Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.
Read More →
China as Pacesetter
Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.
Read More →
BMW Concept Car Makes Fuel to Burn
The prototype developed in concert with a South Carolina university engineering team generates more solar energy than it uses in a typical daily commute.
Read More →
South Carolina Auto Group Downsizes
Florida-based group Holler-Classic has acquired four rooftops, its first in South Carolina, from Dick Smith Automotive Group.
Read More →