TOYOTA CRASHWORTHINESS
CASE SETTLED

After accurately modeling the 1987 4Runner's vehicle characteristics, the steering and braking inputs of our client and the terrain at the accident scene, a computer simulation was developed resulting in a video animation which demonstrated that the 1987 Toyota 4Runner was defective in design which caused the vehicle to have an unreasonable propensity to roll over in foreseeable driving manuevers. We then modeled the 1996 Toyota 4Runner's vehicle characteristics (redesigned by Toyota for better stability) and ran it through the accident scene terrain and again duplicated the driver's steering and braking inputs. The 1996 4Runner did not roll over; it merely spun out. Finally, we made minor modifications to the 1987 4Runner's design and again ran the vehicle through the accident sequence. Like the redesigned 1996 4Runner, the modified 1987 4Runner did not roll over, demonstrating that minor modifications to the vehicle would have prevented the accident.

Continued on page 3

We are glad to present a new issue of our newsletter after a longer than anticipated break since the last issue.

In this issue we feature case reports on noteworthy verdicts for two delightful senior citizens, a settlement in a crashworthiness case, and two important appellate cases handled by the firm, one in the Tenth Circuit and one before the Kansas Supreme Court.

• Toyota Crashworthiness Case Settled
  
  
• Verdict In Electrical Shock Case
  
  
• Overcoming Caps In Missouri Medical Malpractice Cases
  
  
• Verdict Made Possible By Recent Kansas Supreme Court Decision
  
  
• Wentling Damages Have Substantial Value
  
  
• Kansas Raises Wrongful Death Limit
  
  
• Puzzle