The Murnane Brandt trial team of  Dan Haws,  J. P.Gatto, Krista Robertson and Cheryl Moore won a defense verdict in a personal injury product liability action filed against agricultural and construction equipment manufacturer CNH America, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

The plaintiff sustained severe injuries during a bulldozer rollover accident.  He asserted that CNH’s bulldozer was defective in its design, manufacture and warnings.  The plaintiff specifically argued that there were defects in the design and placement of the bulldozer’s seatbelt.  The plaintiff initially sought more than $8 million in compensatory damages, in addition to punitive damages.  The plaintiff withdrew the manufacturing defect claim and claim for punitive damages just prior to submitting the case to the jury.

After a nine-day trial, the jury found that the bulldozer was not defective in its design and that CNH’s warnings and instructions were adequate. CNH’s defense team at Murnane was led by Dan and J.P., both of whom are seasoned litigators, and paralegal Cheryl Moore, all whom work extensively in the firm's product liability group.