Recalls and Class Action Verdicts: Singletary v. Milnor

RESULT: $ 5 million jury verdict, reduced by the laundromat owner's negligence to $ 4,360,000 net; ($ 4.5 million for amputated arm ($ 2 million in economic and $ 2.5 million in non-economic); $ 500,000 to plaintiff's brother who witnessed the accident.

STATE: California

SUMMARY: On May 11, 1997, a 4-year-old boy opened the door to a washing machine manufactured by defendant while the spin cycle was running and stuck his arm in the spinning basket. The arm became tangled in clothing and was severed.

The plaintiffs contended that the machine was defectively designed and negligently manufactured, and that the defendant failed to warn about the defect, recall the machine or send out conversion kits.

The defendant contended the laundromat owner was negligent in intentionally or negligently defeating the safety device by bending the pin which would have activated the brakes and stopped the basket from spinning when the door was opened.

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