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Bell Helmets wins NJ Quadriplegic Trial

In Lawson vs Bell Sports, a jury in Monmouth County, NJ Superior Court returned a unanimous defense verdict yesterday for Bell Helmets, finding no defect in the Bell bicycle helmet plaintiff was wearing when he landed on his head while riding his bicycle at Allaire State Park, in Farmingdale, NJ. 

Plaintiffs alleged that the bicycle helmet’s tapered rear design was dangerous because it could both constrain and create rotational forces when impacted.  Plaintiffs claimed that the tapered design caused plaintiff’s quadriplegic injury.   Bell’s experts, Dr. Roger Nightingale and David Halstead, testified that the helmet was not defective in design and that the shape of the helmet did not cause plaintiff’s quadriplegicinjury.  Plaintiff Carl Lawson, 44 years old at the time of the accident, sought damages for pain and suffering for 36 years, and his wife Gloria sought damages for loss of consortium.  The 8 members of the jury deliberated for 3.5 hours before returning a unanimous defense verdict in favor of Bell Sports, finding no defect. 

The plaintiffs’ experts were Drs. Termanini and Blecher.  Bell Sports experts were Dr. Roger Nightingale of Duke University, Mr. David Halstead and Dr. Robert Dennis.  Plaintiff was represented by Gary Meyers, Justin Meyers and Lisa Halpern.  Bell was represented at trial by Robert Kelly, James Ughetta and Jason Schmitz of Littleton Joyce Ughetta Park & Kelly LLP.