Verdict Amount:
Plaintiff Judgment $9,133,000

Case Name:
MARK SIU v. GENERAL MOTORS, et al.

Case Number:
San Diego Superior Court, No. 508603

Plaintiff:
Mark Siu

Defendants:
General Motors, et al.

Facts and Background:
On May 29, 1983, plaintiff Irene Siu, a 36-year-old nutritionist
who was four months pregnant, and her six-year-old son Melvin,
were passengers in a 1978 Oldsmobile Omega when it was struck by
Ronald Bryant’s International Scout. Defendant Bryant’s vehicle -
traveling at a speed of approximately 80 miles per hour - struck
the Oldsmobile Omega on Interstate 5 southbound near the Old Town
turn-off. Plaintiff Irene Siu - one of six passengers in the
Oldsmobile Omega - was seated in the left rear seat at the time
of impact. Plaintiffs claimed that a manufacturing defect in the
rear-end welds on the Oldsmobile caused the Scout vehicle to
enter the Oldsmobile’s passenger compartment - striking Irene Sui
on the head. The injuries to Irene Siu placed her in an
irreversible coma and she requires 24-hour per day nursing care
and supervision. Non-jury trial lasted three months.

Plaintiff’s Contentions:
Spot welds on the left rear area of the Oldsmobile Omega were
defective in design and manufacture. Defective welds allowed the
Scout vehicle to intrude into Oldsmobile’s passenger compartment.
Expert testimony alleged that 84 of 131 welds in the rear of the car
were defective and offered little resistance to impact.

Defendants Contentions:
Welds not defective, not proximate cause, welds could not have
prevented injuries.

Damages:
Irene Siu - brain damage, subdural hematoma in the left temporal
area, irreversible coma. She has a normal life expectancy, is
unable to control her arms and legs, and is fed through gastric
tubes. Mrs. Siu was four months pregnant at the time of the
accident and gave birth to a healthy daughter by caesarean
section approximately 12-weeks after the accident. Past Medical
$246,545 (Kaiser lien). Past Nursing Care $162,927 (care
performed by Siu family members). Future Medical $5,209,400. Lost
Earnings $504,400 (Mrs. Siu was a nutritionist who planned to
return to work after her baby was born).

Melvin Siu - recurring nightmares and fears from seeing his
mother’s injuries (Melvin was dozing in the back seat and woke at
the time of the collision).

Mark Siu - Mrs. Siu’s husband sued for loss of consortium.