Rossell v. Volkswagen of America

FELDMAN, Justice.

This is a product liability action brought by Phyllis A. Rossell, as guardian ad litem on behalf of her daughter, Julie Ann Ken-non (plaintiff), against the manufacturer and the North American distributor of Volkswagen automobiles. The defendants will be referred to collectively as “Volkswagen.” The case involves the design of the battery system in the model of the Volkswagen automobile popularly known as the “Beetle” or “Bug.” The jury found for the plaintiff and awarded damages in the sum of $1,500,000. The court of appeals held that the plaintiff had failed to establish a…