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Woman is killed driving a compact car that flips over

Jury Trial

A small car manufactured by Chrysler was made in England and imported into the United States. Mrs. Collins was driving the car and swerved to avoid a small animal in the roadway. Her car flipped over, she was ejected through the windshield, and died. Attorney Ed Ricci's law firm represented Mr. Collins and the two surviving children. Ricci believed that the woman wasn't wearing a seat belt because she was short (small stature) and the seatbelt was too high, so that the shoulder strap would have crossed her face. After investigation, it was found that it didn't matter how tall the person was – the seat belt did not fit properly. Engineers in England admitted that it was an awkward mount because that was the only way they could comply with U.S. regulations for the upper seatbelt mount. The manufacturer knew people wouldn't wear it because it was uncomfortable.

Chrysler had a well-known engineer as an expert witness who actually, in front of the court, made an incorrect calculation as to the speed of the vehicle. Due to this and many other weaknesses that Attorney Ricci was able to expose in the defendant's case, justice was found for the Collins family.

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