Chrysler Class Action Settlement & NHTSA Criticized by CAS


Chrysler Class Action Settlement & NHTSA Criticized by CAS

August, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The Center for Auto Safety has issued the following release:

 TIPM Class Action Settlement Approved With Rental Car & Full Repair Reimbursment

       CAS Criticizes NHTSA for Violating Safety Act & Not Knowing Chrysler Misled Agency 

On August 17, 2015, a California District Court approved a landmark settlement in Velasco v. Chrysler Group LLC that obtained full reimbursement for the $1,100 to $1,200 repair cost of a TIPM-7 module and for the cost of rental – far beyond the $100 to $200 replacement cost of a fuel relay in the safety recall.  The Settlement Agreement signed by Chrysler shows the settlement agreement was reached in January 2015 and was contingent on Chrysler doing a safety recall of 2012-13 Grand Cherokees and Durangos.  The class action forced the recall.  NHTSA never opened an investigation into stalling on 2011-13 Chrysler SUVs for stalling caused by a defective TIPM-7 module despite the part going on national backorder in 2013.

The Safety Act requires NHTSA to grant or deny a defect petition in 120 days. NHTSA took 337 days to deny CAS’ Defect Petition, failed to obtain a single document from Velasco including ones that showed Chrysler began an investigation more than a year earlier than it told NHTSA, and used the 337 days to construct a strawman denial of the CAS Petition.

Statement of Clarence Ditlow

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Related Documents:

CAS Letter to NHTSA – 8/18/15

Click here to view the Petition for Defect Investigation – 8/21/14

NHTSA Denial of CAS Petition for Defect Investigation – 7/24/15

Velasco v. Chrysler Proposed Settlement Agreement – 6/10/15

Velasco v. Chrysler Settlement Approval – 8/17/15

CAS TIPM Information Page 

 

“Batman” Killed in Crash – An Example of Societal Loss


“Batman” Killed in Crash – An Example of Societal Loss

August, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

When people die of crash injuries it results in losses to families and society – forevermore.   Tragically, in many more ways than we know, most stories of crash victims that die or are seriously injured are given brief passing notice by media and society.  Insights into the societal losses are too often missing in the media.

All are important stories.  But some stories illustrate the impact on society more than others.  This is one such story.

“Leonard Robinson, 51, of Owings Mills, retired after selling a commercial cleaning company he founded. He then spent his time dressing as Batman, visiting and lifting the spirits of sick children in hospitals for more than a decade

Robinson was hit by a car Sunday night in western Maryland after his custom vehicle—a Batmobile replica—had engine trouble and stopped partly in the fast lane on Interstate 70, Maryland State Police reported.”