Another contestant in the Lawsuit Lottery has struck it big, I guess one of her children are worth $4.5 million dollars.
A jury has ruled that DaimlerChrysler AG must pay damages to the family of a toddler who died when she was run over by her mother's minivan after the child inadvertently shifted the vehicle out of park, attorneys for the family and the automaker said Friday.
Just from that part of the article you would think that maybe Chrysler might be at fault, but:
DaimlerChrysler won't have to pay the full amount since the jury determined the mother of 2 1/2-year-old Madison Hamby was partially responsible for the accident.
Ahh, so now we see that maybe the parents weren't really paying attention to their 2 1/2 year old child.
Hamby's family said DaimlerChrysler should have installed a brake shift interlock, which prevents vehicles from being shifted out of park without depressing the brake pedal.
Vehicles are equipped with that feature, so why did this happen to this vehicle?
DaimlerChrysler said even though the minivan was parked, the key was left in the ignition in the “on” position, which disengaged the safety device that locks the vehicle's gear shifter into “park.” The family also failed to use the parking brake even though the minivan was parked on a slope, the company said.
Ok, now we see the reason behind the accident. But the courts ruled that the parents were only partially responsible for their child being run over by the vehicle.
Now onto the jury, seems they feel that the parents shouldn't be 100% responsible for their children.
The jury also found that DaimlerChrysler should have warned consumers that children could shift the vehicles.
Damn them auto makers, don't they know that parent just don't know what their kids can do and shouldn't be held responsible when something happens to their kids.
But fear not people, not all juries feel that auto makers should be responsible for the actions of children.
Last month, a jury in Iowa ruled in favor of the company in a similar case involving a Dodge Ram pickup.
So to win this lottery you just have to claim you are not responsible for what your 2 1/2 year old does, doesn't matter that you were not watching them and let them be placed into a situation that you created you will still win.
Posted by Quality Weenie at March 4, 2006 10:56 AM | TrackBackWhere's my cash? I am SO going to run over Harvey's foot so we can split a few million -- it won't be my fault, I'm sure.
Posted by: Ogre at March 6, 2006 02:03 PMWTF! I can't believe a jury felt that way.
Posted by: Contagion at March 6, 2006 06:21 PMThat is bullshite! If my kid gets run over by my van, it's because I'm a dumbass, not because the company didn't warn me that this large piece of machinary could actually MOVE and hurt my kid!
This actually infuriates me! *grumble*
Posted by: ktreva at March 6, 2006 09:47 PMWith Ktreva on this one. ** sigh **
Posted by: vw bug at March 7, 2006 11:09 AMI think you are the biggest moron I have ever heard, and it is obvious that you don't have any children of your own. Auto makers have been installing the Brake Shift Interlock in their vehicles from at least 1995, but for some reason Chrysler decided to skip this safety feature in theirs. The sad thing is that it could prevent many accidents, and it is a very cheap part, costing only $9.00 per vehicle. As a parent, you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not your vehicle is going to take off with your child in it. There have been other cases, one where a pregnant mother was loading groceries into her vehicle (chrysler again) and her child was able to shift it into gear (because of no safety feature). The mother, as well as her unborn child, were killed in this accident. But, according to you, this was probably her fault too right? I guess she should have just went inside, bought her groceries, and then left them in the cart because it just wouldn't be right of her to put her child in the car and then unload them! IDIOT!
Posted by: mom at May 13, 2006 11:08 AMHey "Mom"
You are probably one of those parents who just stick their kids in a car without being in a child seat or safety belt none of the "accidents" that you refer to would have happened if they parents acted responsible enough and put their kids where they should have been while in a car.
What moran of a parent would let their kid play around in a vehicle when at any moment that kid could touch something and kill someone.
I assert again that a parent should be responsible for the actions of their kids.
Posted by: Quality Weenie at May 13, 2006 01:55 PM