File 1993.04: Compton v. Subaru / Fiji Industries

Case Type: Vehicle Roof Crush

Description:
A low speed rollover of a Subaru Station Wagon in which a rear occupant was crushed due to roof failure.

During trial, plaintiff's counsel argued the roof excessively collapsed causing a flexion type injury to the occupant's neck. Severe spinal cord damage rendered the occupant a quadriplegic.

Phase 1, Pre-Visualization, Measurement and Data Collection:
Precisely digitized roof and body measurements of both the accident and exemplar vehicles were used as the basis for constructing the roofs' morph sequence. Occupant kinematics data was collected from counsel's biomechanical expert and was used to place the occupant's position over time.

Phase 2, Visualizations Produced:
3D models of both the exemplar and accident vehicles were built as well as a demonstrative occupant model. Animations illustrating the injury mechanism were used to educate the jury about the accident.

Phase 3,Testimony:
Senior Partner, Brad Mathison testified in Federal Court as to the validity and accuracy of the animations during trial with respect to methodology. The jury awarded damages of 11.7 million and assigned Subaru of America, Inc. and Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. 56% of the fault.