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Motor Vehicle Defects
More Trouble for Mitsubishi
February 04, 2008
It hasn't been a good decade for Mitsubishi. Once one of Japan's foremost auto makers, the company has never really managed to emerge from the scandal that erupted in 2000 when it was revealed that management at the top level knew about defects in their vehicles, but went ahead with secret repairs without asking for proper recalls. Dozens of accidents were reported, but were ignored by top brass.
Now, a new lawsuit goes to trial in Florida alleging that the automaker neglected a seat belt defect in its vehicles that led to the death of a 25-year-old man. The family of Scott Laliberte, a 25-year-old college student, has filed the lawsuit, and it seems Mitsubishi's troubles are far from over.
In September 2004, Scott was in the passenger seat of a 2001 Montero SUV when the vehicle lost control and rolled over. Scott's seatbelt was designed to introduce 10 inches of slack during an accident, the lawsuit claims. Despite wearing a seatbelt, Scott was ejected out of the passenger seat window and his head was crushed between the vehicle and the ground. The driver of the SUV walked away uninjured -he too was wearing a seatbelt, but one which was designed to give less slack.
Scotts' family says his death was caused by manufacturing and design defects in the vehicle. Mitsubishi is expected to fight these allegations, but it won't be easy. Just last month, former Mitsubishi president Katsuhiko Kawasoe was found guilty of professional negligence in a case involving a man who died when the clutch system in his Mitsubishi malfunctioned causing the brakes to fail. Also last month, two Mitsubishi workers were found guilty of causing a woman's death when a wheel rolling off a company truck crushed her.
With so many recent examples of gross negligence still fresh, Mitsubishi is going to have a hard time getting anybody to buy their version of events. Unlike Ford, which is used to customers filing lawsuits all over the place, Japanese companies aren't used to the idea of a product liability lawsuit. Product liability lawsuits are not common in Japan, and damages are usually quite limited.
Mitsubishi, whose US unit has also been named in the lawsuit, might be in for a rude lesson on product liability through the lawsuit.
If you or a loved-one has been injured or killed by a defective car part, you need the help of an aggressive California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.
