Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor

Expert legal representation for maritime workers and cruise ship passengers.

310-514-1200
  • Free Injury Hotlines
    • Cruise Injury Hotline
    • Longshore Injury Hotline
    • Seamen Injury Hotline
    • Shipyard Injury Hotline
  • Practice Areas
    • Maritime Personal Injury
    • Jones Act
    • Cruise Ship Injury
    • Commercial Fishing Injury
    • Longshore & Harbor Workers
    • Shipyard Accidents Attorney
    • Maritime Wrongful Death
    • Maritime Trucking Accidents
    • Boating Accidents
    • Catastrophic Injury
    • Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA)
    • Defense Base Act
  • About Us
    • Charles D. Naylor
    • How We Work
  • Client Reviews
    • Verdicts & Settlements
    • Longshore Worker Wrongful Death Claim
    • Client Satisfaction Survey
  • Legal Resources
  • Videos
    • Injured At Work?
    • How To Choose The Best Doctor
    • What Is The Longshore Act?
    • Cruise Ship Injuries: Know Your Rights!
    • Naylor: Attorney of the Year Finalist
    • Defense Base Act
    • Commercial Fishing Accidents
    • What Is The Jones Act?
    • How To Document An Accident Scene At Work
  • Blog
  • Contact
You are here: Home / News / In The News / Chrysler Bankruptcy Judge Approves $24 Million Personal Injury Settlement

September 25, 2009 By naylorlaw

Chrysler Bankruptcy Judge Approves $24 Million Personal Injury Settlement

NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL

By Amanda Bronstad

The judge in the Chrysler LLC bankruptcy case has approved a damages claim of $24 million for the family of a longshoreman who was killed when his Dodge pickup truck lost control while he was working at the harbor in Long Beach, Calif.

“Ours was a very substantial case,” said Charles Naylor of the Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor in Los Angeles, the plaintiffs’ attorney. “As far as we know, it’s the largest judgment pending against them for a personal injury matter.”

The case involved Richard Mraz, 38, who was working as a longshoreman when the transmission of his Dodge pickup malfunctioned, shifting the vehicle into reverse, Naylor said. The truck knocked him down, inflicting a skull fracture. Mraz died 17 days later.

In 2007, a Los Angeles jury awarded his family more than $55 million.

Chrysler, which appealed the verdict, bonded the final judgment for $81.5 million through Safeco Insurance Co. of America. After Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this year, as the appeal was pending, payment on that judgment became uncertain.

“Although we had Safeco to look to, if the judgment was sustained whatever money Safeco used to pay us still was Chrysler assets, so that had implications in bankruptcy court because the unsecured creditors could object,” Naylor said.

Ultimately, Mraz’s family chose to settle for an amount smaller than the judgment in order to ensure payment, which is due on Oct. 5, he said.

Adam C. Rogoff, a partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel in New York who represents the committee of unsecured creditors in the Chrysler bankruptcy, did not return calls for comment. A lawyer for Chrysler, Jeffrey B. Ellman of Jones Day, and Safeco’s attorney, T. Scott Leo of Leo & Weber in Chicago, did not return calls for comment, either.

Filed Under: In The News

Get a
Free Case Review

Are You Injured?

  • Cruise Injury Hotline
  • Longshore Injury Hotline
  • Seamen Injury Hotline
  • Shipyard Injury Hotline

Know Your Rights

  • Injured At Work? Here’s What You Need to Know
  • How To Document An Accident Scene At Work
  • How To Choose The Best Doctor For Your Compensation Claim
  • Commercial Fishing Accidents: What You Should Know
  • Defense Base Act: Coverage, Benefits and Compensation
  • What Is The Jones Act?
  • What Is The Longshore And Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act?
  • Cruise Ship Injuries And Your Rights
  • Charles D. Naylor Named Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist
Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year Charles D. Naylor Certified Specialist_Charles D. Naylor
Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group_Charles D. Naylor American Association for Justice_Charles D Naylor

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Connect

Copyright © 2023 · NaylorLaw.com. All Rights Reserved. · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Sitemap · Call Us Toll-Free: 888-440-5829 · Local: 310-514-1200 ·
Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor · 11 Golden Shore, Suite 350, Long Beach, CA 90802