Legal News

Chrysler to pay $24 million to Long Beach family in personal injury settlement

By Richard Binder

Richard Mraz, 38, was working as a longshoreman when the transmission of his Dodge pickup malfunctioned, shifting the vehicle into reverse. The truck knocked him down, inflicting a skull fracture. Mraz died 17 days later.

In 2007, a Los Angeles jury awarded his family more than $55 million.  Chrysler appealed the verdict and bonded the final judgment for $81.5 million through Safeco Insurance Co. of America. After Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this year, as the appeal was pending, payment on that judgment became uncertain.

Ultimately, Mraz's family chose to settle for $24 million in order to ensure payment. "As far as we know, it's the largest judgment pending against them for a personal injury matter," said Charles Naylor, the plaintiffs' attorney.

Full story at NLJ.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on September 25, 2009 (boomark / email).