Nichola v. FIAT MOTOR CO., INC.

OPINION

MURRAY, Justice.

This is a wrongful-death action brought by an administrator on behalf of his deceased son’s estate. The defendants, Fiat Motor Co., Inc., and Fiat Spa of Italy, filed a motion for summary judgment, which was granted. The plaintiff now appeals from the judgment granting the defendants’ summary-judgment motion and from the denial of his motion to vacate that judgment.

The relevant facts are as follows. On May 16, 1973, Thomas P. Nichola, Jr., was killed when the automobile 1 in which he was a passenger was involved in a collision in Massachusetts. The plaintiff, Thomas P.…