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Immunity? - USA - New roof rules limit carmaker liability
Manufacturers that meet safety standards should be exempt from lawsuits, feds say - NHTSA's policy change
WASHINGTON,DF,USA -Detroit News, by Jeff Plungis -Sept 7, 2005: -- Tucked away in the federal government's long-awaited proposal to mandate stronger vehicle roofs is controversial language that will make it far more difficult for motorists to sue automakers... In three recent auto safety proposals, auto safety regulators are proposing to limit manufacturers' liability from lawsuits if they meet the new federal standards. Critics say it is a dramatic change that may exceed the agency's legal authority... Immunize automakers?: Automakers would be required to meet tougher roof-strength requirements under a proposal by the federal auto safety agency, but they would gain legal immunity from lawsuits seeking damages for deaths and injuries. Is it a good idea to protect the auto industry from legal liability if they meet safety standards?.. Some experts said that federal agencies appear to be shifting from being impartial arbiters that balance the needs of consumers and regulated industries to becoming protectors of big business.. Advocates of changing the legal system say there's nothing wrong with the Bush administration's attempt to institute reforms. They point to cases in which juries have issued multimillion-dollar awards based on scant evidence... "If these regulations are tough, and if they are sound, then there may be some wisdom to it," said Victor Schwartz, general counsel of the American Tort Reform Association. "The real question is, is the standard better than a jury could come up with during a trial?"...
posted by Unknown @ 3:10 PM
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