San Bernardino County
Our client, Ron B., is a realtor from Upland, California, who purchased a 2011 Dodge Durango from Jeep Chrysler Dodge of Ontario. Ron purchased the vehicle in June of 2011 and hoped for years of reliable and pleasurable driving around the Inland Empire. However, not long after her bought the Durango, it developed electronic system issues and engine issues. Ron’s problems with the vehicle went from bad to much worse after about 40,000 miles when the vehicle began intermittently not starting and stalling while being driven. CCA’s attorneys attributed the stalling and no-starts to FCA’s notoriously defective Totally Integrated Power Module (or “TIPM”). FCA’s attorneys attempted to strong arm Ron and refused to settle his case for a reasonable sum. However, we tried his case before a jury of twelve in San Bernardino County Superior Court. The jury found that the vehicle was defective, awarded Ron all of his money back and awarded him a civil penalty equal to double what he paid for the car. Additionally, the San Bernardino jury found FCA had committed fraudulent concealment with respect to certain defects in his vehicle. Later, the Court ordered that FCA pay for all of Ron’s attorney’s fees and costs.