According to the Associated Press, the bankruptcy court judge overseeing certain Chrysler assets has approved a $24 million settlement in the death of California longshoreman, Richard Mraz, 38, who was run over by a 1992 Dodge Dakota on April 13, 2004. Mraz suffered fatal head injuries. Attorneys for Mraz’s family argued that the truck slipped into reverse after Mraz got out. Both sides in the lawsuit said he had left the truck running without setting the parking brake, but they differed on who was to blame for the accident.
Chrysler had issued a recall in 2000 after receiving more than 1,000 “park-to-reverse” complaints involving 1988 through 2003 model Dakotas. The recall issued by Chrysler was for repairs that failed to fix the problem. The family argued that the vehicle had a defect that made it appear trucks were in park position when they actually were between gears. However, DaimlerChrysler argued that Mraz failed to follow proper safety procedures.
In March 2007, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury found that DaimlerChrysler was negligent in the truck’s design and failed to warn consumers or adequately recall the vehicle. The jurors awarded $55 million in damages to the family of Richard Mraz. In April, Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy delaying an appeal of the jury verdict. This delay led to negotiations that resulted in settlement. The settlement was then approved by U.S. Judge Arthur Gonzalez.
