California Personal Injury Attorneys

CORRECTION: We stated incorrectly that Takata made the seat belts, when in fact the manufacturer was Autoliv.

A trial date has been set for the products liability wrongful death lawsuit brought against Suzuki Motors Corporation, Takata Seatbelts, Inc, and affiliate Suzuki auto parts manufacturers by the auto defect lawyers of BISNAR | CHASE.

The lawsuit claims that the 2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara manufactured and sold by the defendants had numerous auto defects that caused the death driver, Andrea Bardonner, after she was ejected from her vehicle and suffered catastrophic injuries.

Andrea was driving her 2003 Grand Vitara in July of 2006. She was headed east on Highway 16 in the Hamlet of Wildwood, Alberta, Canada. According to court records, Andrea's vehicle swerved and tumbled down a steep embankment, turning over many times and causing the roof to crush, the vehicle's pillars to give way, the seatbelt system to slacken and Andrea to be ejected from the car. She died on the scene and her daughters, Nichelle and Makayla, suffered severe, permanent permanent injuries.

John Bisnar of the Orange County Auto Products Liability Law Firm, BISNAR | CHASE comments, "We allege the 2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara Andrea was driving at the time of her death was plagued with a myriad of defects that ultimately caused her demise. These alleged and flagrant auto defects include, but are not limited to, a defective restraint system, a defective window system, insufficient strength and structural integrity to withstand roof crushing forces, and insufficient lateral and roll stability. We contend the defendants knew about these defects yet they did nothing to warn Andrea, or the general public, about these defects."

Auto Defects Were Known to Defendants

Numerous papers and reports have been published since 1970, some of which were written by Ford researcher, Roger P. Daniel and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), have recommended safer car parts and frameworks that can prevent the ejection of occupants of vehicles. Mr. Daniel's report discussed at length the substitution of then current frameworks with metal framework and laminated glass or ejection resistant glazing, as the improved design provides a considerably better restraint system.

The lawsuit alleges that, despite these studies, Suzuki and the defendants failed to improve their vehicle's design which led to the ejection and death of Mrs. Bardonner during the roll-over crash. Further, the lawsuit claims that the defendants were aware of the vehicle's deficiency in roll stability during upright cornering and handling and that the A and B pillars/windshield headers and roof rails were not structurally strong enough to withstand roof crush which could occur in minimal-impact accidents and lead to the injury of occupants.

The action also claims that defendants chose not to improve their vehicle's safety nor properly test the Grand Vitara's seatbelt performance during a rollover crash. The FMVSS 208 dolly rollover test, should it have been executed, could have the exposed seatbelt retractor defect the failed to lock and properly restrain Mrs. Bardonner during the fatal accident.

The action seeks economic damages for wrongful death, personal injuries, suffering, medical expenses, loss of earnings and earning capacity and loss of consortium on behalf of Andrea's family. Trial will be held in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, case # 00109180.

You can find more information about this case at Trial Date Set for California Auto Defects Lawyers Products Liability Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Suzuki . Also, be sure to stay current with BISNAR | CHASE press releases .