California product liability

This California product liability lawsuit involves 53 year old Sukhsagar Pannu. According to news reports, Pannu, a competitive field hockey player in Hong Kong, was driving on California's Freeway 118 in 2003 when another vehicle hit his 1990's Land Rover Discovery. The Discovery rolled over and its roof collapsed from the impact – causing Pannu to suffer a severe spinal cord injury. He no longer has use of his arms or legs and must rely on the constant care of others. He sued Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), now owned by Indian car manufacturer Tata Motors, which purchased JLR from Ford Motor Company in 2008. A jury awarded him a record $21.1 million for his injuries.

Attorney shows Discovery was defectively designed

Pannu's California car accident attorney was able to show the jury that, even though Pannu's truck was hit by a speeding car prior to the rollover, the Discovery was defectively designed as its roof collapsed too easily and its high center of gravity made it prone to roll over. While the defense argued that blame should be placed on the driver who hit Pannu, and not the vehicle's manufacturer, the jury disagreed.

Personal injury & product liability go hand in hand

Personal injury attorneys who deal with car accidents also need to be knowledgeable about product liability causes of action as the two often go hand in hand. Before hiring an attorney to represent you, make sure to ask how much of that attorney's practice is dedicated to the type of injury you've sustained and whether he or she has adequate trial experience. If the other side knows that your attorney would rather settle than go to trial, you may be settling for less than you're entitled to.