$10.4 million verdict in Montana against Evenflo
A jury in Montana returned with a $10.4 million verdict against a car-seat manufacturing company named Evenflo Co. Inc., holding that Evenflo was liable in the death of a four-and-a-half-month-old infant in 2000. The baby was in one of Evenflo's car-seats at the time of its death in a car accident.
Details of the case can be found in the Kansas City Business Journal or the Chicago Tribune.
The important facts to take away from this case are the following: firstly, that energy-absorbent foam padding can be vital to car-seat safety, especially around the child's head. Secondly, the hooks that hold the car-seat in place must be sturdy and not prone to breaking off, as the Evenflo hooks were.
Evenflo continues to deny liability and will appeal the ruling, but whatever the outcome, these general concepts about car-seats may be helpful to keep in mind.
