Spurlin v. General Motors Corp.

528 F.2d 612 (1976)

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Spurlin v. General Motors Corp.

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
528 F.2d 612 (1976)

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Facts

In April 1968, a school bus manufactured by General Motors (defendant) and owned by Morgan County, Alabama crashed, killing two children and injuring twenty-two. The crash was caused by a failure of the bus’ brakes. All of the children on the bus (plaintiffs), through their parents, sued General Motors for negligently designing the braking system as well as improperly instructing owners of the bus as to how frequently the braking system should be serviced. The case was tried in front of a jury and the jury found for the children. General Motors moved for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, for a new trial. The trial court granted both motions. The children appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Tuttle, J.)

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