Our firm is a top-notch team of expert Massachusetts injury lawyer specialists. We have decades of experience getting our clients superlative results, including recovering tens of millions of dollars in personal injury damages and providing exceptional and consistent client service. Have you or a family member been injured by a motor vehicle? If so, our Boston motor vehicle accident attorneys will make sure that you receive the money damages that you justly deserve. Please call 617-787-3700, 24/7, or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com today for your free and confidential consultation.
Every driver is expected to drive his or her car in a careful, considerate manner. Driving has become a norm of daily activity in Massachusetts and throughout America. Each and every time one of us gets behind the wheel, we are responsible for our actions. Even parties not present at the scene of a car accident may be responsible for serious injuries or even death resulting from a car collision. For example, if a car’s manufacturer is found to have negligently assembled or designed a part of the vehicle, they may be held liable for the injuries caused or worsened by their negligence.
William Ziemer was seriously injured in a car collision caused by another driver crossing the center line of the road and then crashing directly into his car. The front driver’s side of his Nissan Maxima was severely damaged, causing Mr. Ziemer to suffer a catastrophic brain injury. As a result of the collision, he has permanent impairment to his cognitive functions and is unable to walk. Despite being only forty-five years old at the time of the accident, Mr. Ziemer is no longer able to effectively travel on his own and now has the mental capabilities of a child.
Mr. Ziemer filed a lawsuit arguing that Nissan negligently designed his vehicle. Specifically, the car, when met with force, allows more intrusion into the driver’s seat than comparable models. This defect, he argued, severely aggravated his injuries. During the trial, it was shown that a similar version of his vehicle was sold in Europe, but with extra reinforcements and safety features.
These reinforcements, according to trial experts, would have been far more effective in protecting Mr. Ziemer from the results of the collision and may have prevented his brain damage altogether. Product liability attorney Cynthia A. Walters of Short Hills, NJ, argued that the car was defective. This was because of its crashworthiness deficiencies stemming from design elements that permitted an unreasonable degree of intrusion into the driver compartment. The jury agreed, and awarded $3.5 million for Ziemer’s loss of enjoyment of life and pain and suffering, $4.2 million for future care and medical costs, $1.2 million in lost wages, $2.5 million for his wife, and $1 million for each of his children.
Have you been injured due to negligence? If so, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your injuries. Please call us 24/7 at 617-787-3700 or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!
