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$24 Mil Verdict Seat Belt

Lauren Frazier was the the driver of a 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe in 2004. She was  wearing her seat belt equip with a JDC buckle when another car struck her vehicle in the left front. The Tahoe and the other vehicle then side slapped and the Tahoe rolled over once. During the rollover, Lauren was ejected and killed. The occupants of the other vehicle had no injuries.

In opening his statement and closing argument Lauren's attorney told the jury that this case was not about an accident. This case was is about how safety systems work in an accident. He explained that this was a crashworthiness case and that crashworthiness is the science of preventing injuries and deaths following an accident through the use of safety systems.

He also said that the seat belt industry has known that seat belts could unlatch in accidents since the 1960's, that Allied Signal/Honeywell knew since 1989 that its JDC buckle could unlatch. GM told Allied Signal/Honeywell that JDC buckles were opening during crash and sled tests and that Allied Signal/Honeywell confirmed with its own
tests that its JDC buckles were unlatching. Yet, Allied Signal/Honeywell used no device inside the JDC buckle to prevent the internal movement which would unlatch the buckle.

The jury was shown other buckles that had been tested and used on other vehicles. These buckles contained a safety feature that would have prevented Lauren Frazier's seat belt buckle from unlatching.

Dan Davee, corporate representative for Allied Signal/Honeywell, would not not admit under cross examination, the intended function of the JDC buckle in a crash. Apparently, this did not impress the jury.
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