Texas jury awards woman $37 million over Honda seat belts

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas jury has awarded more than $37 million to a woman who sued Honda after being paralyzed in a 2015 car crash.

Sarah Milburn sued the automaker over its seatbelt design after her Uber driver ran a red light and the Honda was struck by a pickup truck in Dallas.

Milburn’s lawyer argued that the seatbelts in the Honda Odyssey were poorly designed and contributed to her injuries. The crash broke the 27-year-old’s spine, leaving her a quadriplegic.

A Honda spokesman said Friday that the company will appeal. Honda had argued it wasn’t liable for Milburn’s injuries because the Odyssey’s seatbelts met federal safety standards.

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Milburn’s lawyer argued the seatbelts where Milburn was seated in the minivan had a two-part system that was unfamiliar and difficult to use for many people.