$30 Million Verdict Against Nissan in Defective Vehicle Case*

A quick stop at a gas station should be uneventful. For one South Carolina woman, it became a life-changing moment.

After parking her vehicle and walking inside a convenience store, she returned and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of her car. Without warning, the 2017 Nissan Altima suddenly moved forward, climbed over a parking barrier, and pinned her against the building. The impact caused severe and lasting injuries.

Beasley Allen attorneys Mike Andrews, Kendall Dunson, and Dana Taunton represented the woman and secured a $30 million verdict against Nissan following a product liability trial focused on defects in the vehicle. Interest on the judgment will continue to accrue at approximately $8,000 per day. The verdict is the largest ever awarded in Marlboro County, South Carolina.

A Case Focused on a Defective Vehicle

Evidence showed the vehicle, equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), failed to perform as expected. Whether the car was in park or left out of park, it sat still for over minute, eventually moving forward on its own, and crushed our client.  The defects in this vehicle were known to Nissan and were known to create a dangerous situation.

Our team presented evidence that the vehicle had a long history of issues tied to its transmission, including repeated service bulletins and known defects. Despite this, the vehicle was sold and remained in use without design changes that could have reduced or prevented the risk.

A Preventable Failure

The case highlighted Nissan’s choice not to install a key safety device which would have prevented the unintended movement of this vehicle and, additionally, how safer alternative designs were available but not used. These design choices, combined with known risks, made the vehicle unreasonably dangerous.

What happened to this customer was not the result of unusual use or misuse. It was foreseeable. The vehicle was being used in a normal and expected way at the time of the incident.

When it unexpectedly moved forward, the result was immediate and severe.

Holding Manufacturers Accountable

The jury found that the defective condition of the vehicle caused serious harm, including physical injury, emotional distress, and long-term impact on the woman’s life.

This case underscores a key issue in product liability law: manufacturers have a responsibility to design and sell vehicles that are safe for everyday use. When known defects go unaddressed, the consequences can be devastating.

Beasley Allen continues to hold manufacturers accountable and fight for people who have been harmed by dangerous and defective products.

*The amount of some verdicts may have been reduced by post-trial settlement, appeal, or remittitur. Some amounts may have been obtained by default judgment. Some verdicts and settlements were obtained in other states besides Alabama. Beasley Allen does not represent that the same or similar results would be obtained in all cases