Automakers and Lawsuits
Lawsuits are now just part of the job for automakers. Recent examples include Toyota getting dragged into court after a driver said his car was tracking him without his knowledge. Tesla, meanwhile, is back in the legal spotlight over claims that its Model S’s door handles break more often than they should. Most of these cases come down to customers who feel their car crossed a line – whether it’s about privacy, safety, or just plain reliability.
But there’s one lawsuit in the mix right now that’s a little different. This time, it’s not a driver or owner taking Kia to court – it’s one of its own seasoned technicians. The problem isn’t some flashy tech or a defect that shows up in the showroom. It’s a sharp metal edge tucked away behind the dashboard of a Kia Soul.
What Allegedly Went Wrong
Here’s what happened, according to the presser: An experienced technician was working inside the dashboard of a 2012 Kia Soul when he ran into trouble. A hidden metal edge sliced his wrist deep enough to damage a tendon, sending him in for surgery. The twist? He’d done this same repair plenty of times before, on similar vehicles, without incident.
The technician took Kia to court, arguing everything from strict liability to breach of warranty (which we think is a bit odd), failure to warn, and both manufacturing and design defects. Kia pushed back, saying workers’ compensation should cover it and that most of those legal arguments didn’t fit the situation.
The court didn’t buy Kia’s argument about workers’ comp blocking the lawsuit. Arkansas law lets injured workers go after third parties like manufacturers. But the judge did toss out the warranty claims, pointing out that those protections are for buyers and their close contacts – not for technicians working on a car years down the line.
Where the Case Stands Now
The strict-liability accusation didn’t stick either. The court zeroed in on whether the car was actually unreasonably dangerous for someone with the technician’s background. With decades on the job, a Kia master certification, and experience dealing with sharp edges behind dashboards, the judge decided the risk wasn’t out of line for a pro.
At this point, the case isn’t closed yet. Negligence claims – like failure to warn, manufacturing defect, and design defect – are still on the table. The court pointed out some open questions, like whether Kia should have told technicians to wear gloves, or if that bracket was sharper than it should have been, or could have been made safer.
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog