On October 17, 1997, a 35-year-old fifth-grade teacher was on her way home from work when she drove off Florida’s Sawgrass Expressway, also known as the Florida State Road 869. The woman explains that she was able to make the appropriate corrective maneuver but that her vehicle, a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, continued to roll in the middle of the expressway lanes, landing on the driver’s side. Unfortunately, her arm was pinned between the vehicle and the road, which left the driver with a missing arm from the elbow area down.
Attorney Robert W. Kelley provided aggressive representation for the client and was able to prove that part of the accident was due to manufacturing problems by the Nissan Motor Company. Although the final verdict determined that the driver was accountable for 49% of the accident, Nissan was held responsible for 51% of the blame. With formidable evidence, Attorney Kelley was able to prove that the 1993 Pathfinder had the highest fatality rate in its class and was able to use this information to recover maximum compensation.
The Nissan Motor Company was apologetic for the woman’s injuries but was disappointed by the final verdict; the company believed that the driver was at fault for losing control of the vehicle. Although they argued that there
The woman was awarded $1.7 million as compensation for the accident.
