Vehicle Safety News

March 17, 2006

Detroit News, "But GM won't concede defeat in $18.6 million jury award to woman paralyzed in 1997 crash"

It's been nearly nine years since Penny Shipler's spine was crushed when the roof of a 1996-model Chevrolet S-10 Blazer collapsed around her in a rollover accident. But it wasn't until last week that the paralyzed Nebraska woman apparently won her long legal battle against General Motors Corp.

On March 10, the Nebraska Supreme Court unanimously upheld an $18.6 million jury award to Shipler, one of the largest court judgments linking vehicle roof-strength to severe injuries in rollovers. GM had appealed the 2003 verdict against the automaker as excessive, claiming that jury instructions and evidence allowed in the case were improper. But the Nebraska high court denied GM's appeal, bringing the day closer when Shipler, a 38-year old former waitress, can collect on her damage award. Paralyzed from the neck down, Shipler and her 10-year-old son live on about $800 a month in Social Security payments, disability checks and food stamps. "Her future medical care and assistance is estimated to cost $10 million," said Dan McCord, Shipler's attorney. "She desperately needs the money."