Los Angeles Team Secures Defense Verdict for Hyundai in Products Liability Lawsuit

Los Angeles, Calif. (May 28, 2025) - Los Angeles Partners Anthony E. Sonnett and Jocelyn A. Julian, with co-counsel Robert W. Maxwell of Bernard Cassisa Elliott & Davis, recently secured a defense verdict for Hyundai Motor America in a products liability action.

The plaintiff, James Shelton, was attempting to enter the front passenger seat of his 2016 Hyundai Equus being operated by his son, Coleman Shelton, an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams. The plaintiff placed his hand under the top of the window frame when his son closed the window, trapping the plaintiff’s hand. The plaintiff filed suit against Hyundai, alleging the vehicle's window should have auto-reversed when it encountered his hand. He sought $1.75 million in damages.

Hyundai responded that the auto-reverse feature is not designed to operate when the system is in manual mode and does not detect an object more than 4 millimeters in thickness, or when the auto-up feature is engaged within five seconds of the window being lowered. These functions serve as safety features to prevent unwanted intrusions into the vehicle and are consistent with designs used by other manufacturers.

Testing of the subject vehicle by engineers hired by Hyundai determined the vehicle's auto-reverse feature worked as designed.

The plaintiff hired a technical expert who conducted non-standardized testing that alleged the front passenger window was subject to intermittent failures of the auto-reverse feature.

Hyundai's expert, Robert Lange, the former Chief Safety Engineer for General Motors, concluded the test results the plaintiff relied upon were flawed and based on obstructions that were less than 4 millimeters in thickness.

Multiple test videos were presented by Hyundai at trial to establish that the subject window functioned as designed and the accident resulted from the window being in manual mode or operated within five seconds of being lowered.

Following a six-day trial, the jury deliberated for under two hours before returning an 11-1 verdict for Hyundai finding no manufacturing defect.