Suit Filed Against Safelite, Toyota After Double-Fatality Rollover
April 8, 2013

by Jenna Reed, jreed@glass.com

A Houston, Texas-based attorney has filed suit against Safelite and Toyota on behalf a Montana woman who he says lost both her husband and young daughter in a rollover crash, in which the windshield allegedly separated from the vehicle. The attorney contends Safelite had replaced the windshield on the vehicle involved, while Safelite argues its claims division processed the claim on behalf of another glass shop.

"While traveling on a North Dakota highway one December afternoon, the family's 2005 Toyota Tundra contacted an icy patch and went out of control. The pickup crossed the highway's median and rolled over" Rob Ammons, attorney for the plaintiff, says in a release.

"Safelite, who had installed a windshield on the Tundra, was also named as a defendant," the document continues. "According to the lawsuit, the windshield separated from the pickup in this crash and exacerbated the movement of the roof's pillars. As a result, the driver and rear seat passenger were partially ejected from the pickup, despite the fact that they were wearing their seatbelts."

Ammons lists Safelite as a defendant because he contends the company installed the windshield on the pickup, according to the release.

Safelite's senior corporate counsel has another take: "Safelite typically does not comment on pending litigation. However, in this tragic case, after a preliminary investigation we determined that Safelite AutoGlass did not perform the windshield replacement," says Brian DiMasi, Safelite's senior corporate counsel.

"Rather, Safelite Solutions, the claims management business, processed the plaintiff's vehicle glass claim on behalf of another glass shop who performed the replacement," he adds. "We are hopeful that we will be voluntarily dismissed from the case."

When asked about how "The Safelite Advantage" warranty comes into play, Melina Metzger, the company's public relations manager says, "Safelite's warranty is for Safelite AutoGlass. Safelite Solutions doesn't warranty other shops' work."

Check back for more information as it becomes available.

This story is an original story by AGRR™ magazine/glassBYTEs.com™. Subscribe to AGRR™ Magazine.
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