Los Angeles Times – Top Ten Auto Product Verdicts
Posted in on June 4, 2004
Here are the largest verdicts in defective-product lawsuits against automakers. Many of the awards were later reduced by the trial judge or on appeal.
| Rank | Award (millions) |
Year | Location |
| Case Description | |||
| 1 | $4‚900.0 | 1999 | California |
| Anderson vs. General Motors; Malibu gas tank rupture; award was later reduced and case settled | |||
| 2 | 368.6 | 2004 | California |
| Buell-Wilson vs. Ford; Explorer rollover; awaiting post-trial motions | |||
| 3 | 296.2 | 1999 | California |
| Romo vs. Ford; Bronco II rollover; punitive damages reduced‚ paid | |||
| 4 | 262.5 | 1997 | South Carolina |
| Jiminez vs. Chrysler; minivan rear-door latch failure; reversed‚ settled | |||
| 5 | 225.0 | 2002 | Texas |
| Benavides vs. Ford; Ford F-150 door latch design; settled | |||
| 6 | 153.2 | 1998 | Nevada |
| White vs. Ford; Ford F-350 parking brake; punitives reversed‚ retried | |||
| 7 | 150.0 | 1996 | Alabama |
| Hardy vs. General Motors; Chevrolet S-10 Blazer door latch; settled | |||
| 8 | 144.8 | 1998 | Mississippi |
| Robinson vs. Ford; Ranger rollover; settled | |||
| 9 | 128.5 | 1978 | California |
| Grimshaw vs. Ford; Pinto rear-end collision fire; reduced‚ paid | |||
| 10 | 122.0 | 2002 | Alabama |
| Jernigan vs. General Motors; Oldsmobile Delta 88 door beams; reversed‚ settled | |||
The results in the cases portrayed on this website were dependent on the facts of each individual case‚ and the results in any case will differ if based on different facts or law.