Honeywell, Chrysler Group sued by woman ejected from PT Cruiser

An Edwardsville woman says a faulty seatbelt in her PT Cruiser caused her to be ejected from the vehicle when it rolled during a crash.

The owner of the Chrysler, Jennifer Levy, filed a lawsuit against the seatbelt manufacturer, Honeywell International Inc., and Chrysler Group LLC on Oct. 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. Chrysler Group is the limited liability corporation that has taken responsibility for liability claims made against products manufactured by the bankrupt DaimlerChrysler.

Levy says the seatbelt in her 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser disconnected during a rollover crash, causing her to be ejected from the car. She allegedly suffered a broken pelvis, six broken vertebrae, a detached ear, hearing trauma and disfigurement.

Levy contends Honeywell and Chrysler Group are liable for making and distributing defective and dangerous seatbelts that were not strong enough to withstand a crash.

Levy is also suing four unnamed car dealerships who sold the car to buyers. She argues the dealerships were negligent for failing to examine the PT Cruiser, find and correct the seatbelt defect before selling it to a new owner.

Also named in the suit are Progressive Insurance Company and Quad City Salvage Auction. Levy says the insurance company told her it would preserve the PT Cruiser so that it could be examined. Instead, she says the company sold it to Quad City Salvage in East St. Louis.

Levy says Quad City Salvage also had an obligation to preserve the vehicle for inspection but sold it to a buyer in Tennessee before that could happen. Levy says the car had been scrapped, so she is no longer able to provide evidence of the defective seatbelt.

Levy is suing the defendants for more than $50,000 in damages for severe pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of a normal life and disfigurement.

Attorneys with the Maag Law Firm in Wood River are representing Levy.

St. Clair County Circuit Court Case No. 10-L-532