Enterprise RAC found liable - $15 Million Court Judgement

[XDCX]

News reports indicate that Enterprise Rent-a-Car was found liable for an accident that resulted in the deaths of two young girls. The court awarded the surviving family members a $15 Million award. For the full report - click here

Testimony in the trial indicated that Enterprise rented a 2004 PT Cruiser on four separate occasions despite the fact the vehicle had been recalled for a power steering hose issue. A manager for Enterprise further testified that it was a common practice to rent vehicles with outstanding recalls if the supply of available vehicles diminished to the point where they were the only vehicles left to rent.

While I certainly have sympathy for the family, I think it's noteworthy that the recall probably had nothing to do with the accident. (Just my opinion after reading the story.)

This might be a good topic for your next Manager's Meeting to ensure that your dealership has safeguards in place to prevent a similar circumstance.

[possum]

This kind of stuff is getting carried away. The used car lot could be filled with "recall" vehicles. There is no way to know what all is involved. The cars sold through all the auctions could be filled with recalls, we can't know that. Now, the seller is liable for this too?

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by possum

Now, the seller is liable for this too?

In the eyes of a lawyer, the answer is probably yes, in the eyes of a jury, who knows?

The part of this story that caught my attention was the testimony by an Enterprise manager who suggested it was part of the company's corporate culture to maximize rental revenues even if it meant renting vehicles they knew were involved in recalls.

I think this case could be used as a good example during employee meetings to re-affirm a dealership's position that they do not want to take any actions that would compromise the safety of their customers.