KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
German car manufacturer Porsche will have to answer in court to a lawsuit over the death of “Fast and Furious” actor Paul Walker, who died in a fiery crash in Santa Clarita in 2013.
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Attorneys for the Walker estate called Porsche’s claims “absurd” Friday, adding the vehicle’s defects were responsible for the actor’s death, contrary to the car company’s court filing.
Jeffrey Milam, the lawyer for Walker’s daughter, 17-year-old Meadow Rain Walker, said the ruling by a Chatsworth judge would allow the teenager’s case against the auto manufacturer to continue.
Porsche previously filed a motion to be removed from the lawsuit, claiming the German company had no jurisdiction in the California crash. However, Judge Stephen Pfahler ruled Tuesday the auto manufacturer can stand trial.
Representatives of Meadow Rain Walker’s estate sued the several parties of the death, claiming Porsche produced a dangerous car, the Carrera GT, that lacked critical safety features.
Get live news updates about Santa Clarita by following KHTS on Facebook and KHTS on TwitterPorsche “failed to install an electronic stability control system to protect the car from swerving and used “side door reinforcement bars that lacked adequate welds and consisted of material weaker in strength than what is used in popular mass-market cars, such as the Honda Civic, which is designed and built to be operated at speeds much slower than the Carrera GT,” according to the suit.
Milam issued the following statement to KHTS in response to the judgment Tuesday in Chatsworth:
We’re gratified that the judge saw through this absurd argument, which proved nothing more than just how desperate Porsche AG is to avoid any responsibility for Paul Walker’s death. Meadow Walker lost her father because the Porsche Carrera GT he was riding in was not only defective but deadly. Paul Walker would have survived the crash if not for the vehicle’s defects.
Although it will be a long struggle, we’re determined to make sure that, through this lawsuit on behalf of Meadow, we are able to get the justice she deserves. And we’re glad that the judge helped us take a major step in that direction today.
Roger Rodas is the responsible party for Walker’s death. If he didn’t break the traffic laws in place he would have been at a speed he could possibly handle. Blaming the car for killing is as absurd as blaming women for getting raped or blaming spoons for making people fat. Jeffry Milam has proven that he is just another GREEDY lawyer that will play on the emotions of lame jurors that will award money because they love the character Paul played in the movies. The car is not at fault. The stupidity of Rodas is….
No electronic stability control system would have helped, he lacked the ability to control that type of vehicle.
This argument is ABSURD. They acted STUPIDLY on the “street” and thought is was fun to RACE at extremely HIGH speeds on roads NOT for racing..and therefore lost control. Who’s at fault..the DRIVER..but then it was Paul’s fault as well. COMMON SENSE would say…with Paul saying! “SLOW DOWN” we’re going too fast! It’s to DANGEROUS! But no…
It’s not the mfg’s fault and this life and death match here in Ca…plays out the same way EVERY SINGLE DAY.
The car is not safe the car company is liable.Not only are those cars exspensive they are fast and they should be tested unitil they meet the requirements of car saftey laws.If they dont hold the car companys feet to the fire someone else could die.How can you be so stupid its not your place to judge this if you lost your father you would be upset to so shut up and let this girl get some kind of closure on her father you idiot!!
Nobody is saying that Rodas isn’t guilty, but AG is also the culprit as well. Paul Walker would still be alive if it wasn’t for the stupidity of both the car makers and Rodas. Meadow Walker is seeking only what has been rightfully taken from her.
Sorry Mark, Porsche’s fault. These cars are made so freaking light and with wreckless abandon that they are death traps just waiting to fly off the damn road with all the horsepower they load in these cars. I hope Porsche pays out millions to settle this because it will finally force them to make safe vehicles.
Well, I don’t know. Yes and no. it doesn’t matter anymore. it was meant to happen. Paul is still my hero. it’s all over, Paul is gone.
Automobile manufacturers should be held accountable in all cases. Maybe we would save more lives. Hit them in their bottom line and maybe we would have great, safe, beautiful, vehicles produced in the future. God Bless Walker’s daughter. I wish her nothing but success in her lawsuit. Bible she has already won it.
Absolute BULLSHIT making Porsche a party to this lawsuit. This FUDGE JUDGE, Stephen Pfahler, should be tared and feathered and bared from the bench. The only defect in the Porsche Carrera GT (which is one of the best handling cars ever made) was the nut behind the steering wheel, namely (Roger Rodas) who wanted to play MAKE BELIEVE RACE CAR DRIVER. It’s dollars and cents, people. The family of Paul Walker is entitled to sue Roger Rodas’s estate for he was responsible for the death of Paul Walker and no other, that’s Justice…….
No matter who is at fault unfortunately it won’t bring Paul Walker back – that the reality.