As many Californians know, Paul Walker died in 2013 after a Porsche he was a passenger in crashed into a cement lamppost and burned. His daughter has filed a lawsuit through a guardian because of her age, alleging that the manufacturer did not provide adequate safety measures.
The lawsuit contends that the 2004 Porsche Carrera GT lacked certain features that are needed in a car of its power. The Porsche Stability Management System that is found on other Porsche models was one of them. This was allegedly necessary because this model of Porsche reportedly has problems with stability and maintaining control, according to the lawsuit. Walker’s attorney maintains the car is dangerous and should not be legal to drive on the street. In addition, the lawsuit claims the vehicle lacked protections for the fuel line that might have prevented a fire after a crash.
In another case, two men died driving a 2005 Carrera that ran into a concrete wall while doing 100 mph. The families sued the manufacturer for negligence. The case was settled in favor of the plaintiffs. In a 2004 memo, Porsche described the car as extremely similar to a racing vehicle and said that drivers needed to be aware of this.
Vehicle manufacturers are obligated to include protection for the car’s occupants when a crash occurs. If that is not done, the manufacturer may be considered negligent. When a person dies in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver or vehicle manufacturer, the family may suffer both emotionally and financially. The cost of end-of-life expenses as well as the loss of the income the decedent might have provided may be daunting. An attorney may help the family by reviewing the crash and filing a wrongful death suit to recover damages from the responsible party.