WHITEHEAD V. TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION
897 S.W.2d 684 (1995)
NATURE OF THE CASE: Whitehead (Ps), filed a products liability action arising from a car
accident against Toyota (Ds), the manufacturer and seller of the truck P was driving. Two
certified questions of law were presented for review.
FACTS: P was injured when a 1988 Toyota pickup truck that he was driving crossed the
center line of the road and collided head-on with a vehicle that was traveling in the
opposite direction. Ps sued Ds claiming that P's injuries were enhanced beyond those he
would have received had the truck he was driving been more crashworthy. Ps specifically
contend that the seatbelt system of the Toyota pickup truck was defective. Ds answered the
complaint, maintaining that there were no defects in the truck. Ds also asserted the
affirmative defense of comparative fault. Ps filed a motion for partial summary judgment in
which they sought to have the U.S. District Court dismiss Ds' affirmative defenses,
including the defense of comparative fault. It granted Ps' motion for partial summary
judgment and dismissed all of Ds' affirmative defenses, including the defense of comparative
fault. With respect to the defense of comparative fault, the district court stated that '...
the Court will not charge comparative fault in this case. It will abide by its earlier
decisions that the comparative fault defense is not applicable to an action based on strict
liability in tort.' Ds then filed a motion in the district court in which they sought an
interlocutory appeal on the comparative fault issue. The court granted the motion for an
interlocutory appeal. The district court then certified to this Court the questions listed
above.
ISSUE:
RULE OF LAW:
HOLDING AND DECISION:
LEGAL ANALYSIS:
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