A jury of Livingston County, New York citizens has decided Harley-Davidson must pay nearly $290 million in damages after the company was found to be liable in a case centered on the company’s recalled 2019 and 2020 trike models.
The verdict includes $120 million in punitive damages to Harold Morris, who filed the initial lawsuit against Harley-Davidson in 2019, and an additional $120 million in punitive damages to the estate of his deceased partner Pamela SinClair.
The jury also awarded additional compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expense reimbursement, future medical reimbursement, and future pain and suffering. Additional compensation was awarded to SinClair’s family. The total jury award comes to $287 million.
In February 2019, Morris was riding his 2019 Harley-Davidson Trike-Tri Glide Ultra motorcycle when it “suddenly, inexplicably, unexpectedly and without warning malfunctioned and failed,” according to the lawsuit.
The trike’s brakes locked, causing it to swerve into the opposite lane of the road and down an embankment. Morris and his girlfriend, Pamela Sinclair, suffered minor injuries in this crash.
Following this accident, which occurred prior to any formal recall, Morris had his trike repaired and inspected at Stan’s Harley-Davidson in Genesee County, New York.
Morris and Sinclair were involved in another crash in June 2020, during which Morris alleges his bike once again malfunctioned. That crash left him with life-threatening injuries and killed Sinclair. This crash did occur after Harley issued a recall notice related to Morris’ trike. The manufacturer of the component that was recalled was Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Robert Bosch LLC.
The 2019 lawsuit argued that both Harley-Davidson and Robert Bosch were “negligent in failing to timely, adequately and properly notify, warn, and instruct consumers and members of the public” about the motorcycle product defect and recall.
A Harley-Davidson spokesperson said last week the company “respectfully disagrees” with the jury’s decision and will be looking to appeal.
