GM Told to Pay $3.75 Million in Seat Belt Suit

A Michigan state jury ordered General Motors Corp. to pay $3.75 million to a man who claims his seat belt’s failure caused him to be thrown from his 1985 Chevrolet conversion van in a 1995 crash in which he was hit broadside by a minivan and suffered brain damage. However, the jury also found that the man himself, Rodney Jones, was 25% at fault for his injuries. Jones’ attorneys argued that “inertial buckle release” caused their client’s properly latched seat belt to fail. GM defended the safety record of the seat belt design in question and maintained that Jones was not wearing his seat belt when the accident occurred. GM said it is considering whether to appeal.