VAN NUYS : Firm to Fight Verdict in Motorcycle Death

Attorneys representing a North Hollywood motorcycle dealership vowed Monday to fight a jury verdict that awarded $3.5 million to the mother of a Reseda man who died after a freeway accident more than four years ago.

A Van Nuys Superior Court jury ruled that Bill Robertson and Sons Inc., which operates Honda of North Hollywood, was negligent in selling a Honda Magna motorcycle with a faulty transmission to Corey Harrison.

The motorcycle was traded in by another customer who made several complaints that the wheels would lock up while he was on the road. Harrison, who worked for the dealership, bought the 5-year-old motorcycle for $575.

After three days of deliberations, the jury determined last Tuesday that the Honda dealership must pay 87% of the award for knowingly selling a defective vehicle. Harrison was deemed 13% responsible because he was not wearing a helmet.

“We vehemently dispute that the dealership did anything wrong,” said John A. Peterson, one of the attorneys representing Honda of North Hollywood.

Harrison was 22 when he lost control of his motorcycle on March 18, 1989--only six weeks after he purchased it. The accident, which occurred on the Simi Valley Freeway between the San Diego and Golden State freeways, left Harrison in a semi-comatose state. He died from the injuries on Jan. 25, 1992.

Christine D. Spagnoli, who represented the victim’s mother, Leslie Harrison, said jurors in the case were adamant that Honda of North Hollywood knew about problems in the motorcycle.

Spagnoli obtained an internal document from the dealership concerning the motorcycle that indicated: “Reconditioning needed: lots!!”

Peterson said his client strongly denies that there was anything wrong with the transmission and that the memo only refers to the motorcycle’s appearance.