BENETTA BUELL v. FORD MOTOR Part II
In a design defect suit against a car manufacturer by driver severely injured in rollover crash, the trial court did not abuse discretion in admitting evidence that the earlier model created by the company contained dangerous design flaws similar to those in driver's later-designed car where evidence was relevant to prove cause of later-designed car's defect and to show company knew it was designing and manufacturing an unsafe vehicle. Court did not err in excluding company's expert testimony regarding comparative rollover rate where evidence that defendant met industry's customs or standards on safety is irrelevant, unreliable and misleading. Noneconomic damages award as remitted by court of approximately $65 million to driver was excessive, resulting from passion and prejudice. It must be reduced to $18 million where remitted award was three-to-five times amount that plaintiffs' counsel suggested to jury was fair, reasonable just.
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