Kreindler Partner Noah Kushlefsky Wins Record Verdict in Reis v. Volvo
Attorney
Kreindler & Kreindler proudly recognizes Partner Noah Kushlefsky for his tremendous hard fought verdict in Reis v. Volvo Car Corp. The Reis case involved a design defect in a Volvo vehicle which resulted in the traumatic above-the-knee amputation of a 56-year-old man’s leg. Like many of the cases the firm litigates, the Reis case was referred to the firm by a smaller firm that did not have the financial or staffing resources to handle a complex automobile design defect case to conclusion. Kreindler regularly acts as co-counsel with other firms in a variety of practice areas to best represent the interests of the client and to maximize their recovery.
This accident is surely one of those tragedies that was preventable, and its results are devastating to Mr. Reis and his family.... Every car company should assess its full inventory of manual transmission vehicles to determine whether or not they are equipped with this simple and inexpensive safety device and take immediate action to rectify the problem if they are not. No one should have to suffer what Mr. Reis has needlessly endured.
What Happened
Our client is a 56-year-old man who was picking up his 7-year-old daughter from a friend’s house. The friend’s father had recently bought a used Volvo and was showing the car to our client. The two men were looking under the hood when the owner offered to start the car so they could listen to the engine. The owner reached in the driver’s window, started the car and it lurched forward crushing the client’s leg between the car and a building.
The starter safety switch is a $5 part that requires the clutch of a manual transmission car be depressed before the car can be started. The switch prevents a driver from inadvertently starting the car in gear without the clutch depressed, which can cause the car to “jump” or lurch forward putting bystanders at risk.
Our client suffered a traumatic above-knee amputation on his left leg. After a month-long trial, a Manhattan jury returned an $8.75 million verdict and found Volvo 85% at fault.
The verdict in Reis continues the firm’s tradition of legal excellence and advocacy for victims’ rights. For more than 50 years, Kreindler & Kreindler has built a reputation fighting on behalf of victims of negligence and dangerous products. It is known as one of the preeminent plaintiff’s firms in New York and is a recognized expert on the laws of New York as well as the laws which govern air travel.
Long recognized as the premier plaintiff’s aviation litigation firm in New York and the country, Kreindler brings decades of experience and unmatched resources to a wide range of general tort, product liability and medical negligence cases in its New York practice. The firm takes a lead role in all cases in which it is involved and expertly handles all phases of litigation from pre-trial to trial practice and through appeals.
Members of the firm author the treatise, New York Law of Torts (West), and the leading textbook in the aviation field, Aviation Accident Law (Matthew Bender).