$42M Verdict to Car Crash Victims After Improper Auto Repairs

A Texas couple has been awarded a $42 million jury verdict after they were severely injured in a 2013 car crash that was worsened due to improper techniques used to repair their car after it had been damaged previously by a hail storm.

The couple, Matthew and Marcia Seebachan, were on their way to visit family members for the holidays on Dec. 21, 2013, when an oncoming Toyota Tundra pickup hydroplaned on a wet surface and smashed into their 2010 Honda Fit on a Texas highway, according to an Oct. 3 story by The Dallas News.

The Seebachans had purchased the Honda used four months before the crash. Upon investigating the collision, the plaintiff’s lawyers discovered that the couple’s Honda Fit had been improperly repaired before they bought it after it was damaged in a hail storm. That damage led to the replacement of the vehicle’s roof sheet metal, but rather than welding the new roof on, per Honda’s procedures, the repair shop instead used a different technique that bonded the new sheet metal to the top of the car using special epoxy adhesives.

In a lawsuit against the body shop, the John Eagle Collision Center of Dallas, Texas, the plaintiffs alleged that the repairs were made improperly and caused the victims to be much more seriously injured than if the car had its originally-welded roof at the time of the crash, the story reported. The roof repairs on the Honda weren’t listed in the car’s vehicle history report when the victims purchased it.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/tillsonburg

When the crash occurred, the Fit caught fire and its roof collapsed, crushing both victims inside the car. Matthew Seebachan, 33, suffered serious leg burns and his wife, 29, had to be removed from the battered car through the passenger side window, the report continued. Both sustained a multitude of injuries in the crash.

In a related lawsuit, the couple also sued insurance company, State Farm, for allowing the prior hail damage repairs to be made on the car using the gluing process before they ever owned it. That lawsuit argues that the repairs should have been made based on the recommendations of Honda, which called for welding for strength. That case is still pending.

These kinds of tragic legal cases occur every day when innocent victims are severely hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions, inattentiveness or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle incident or accident anywhere in the United States.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

When Winning Matters Most, Call MyPhillyLawyer.