Jeffrey J. Cox

Significant Decisions

• General Motors v. Iracheta, Sup. Ct. No. 02-0932. Appeal to the Texas Supreme Court following a multi-million dollar jury verdict for the grandmother of a young boy killed in a crash and subsequent fire. The trial which occurred in Laredo, Texas involved many antics including the grandmother standing up in closing argument without permission and speaking to the all Hispanic jury in Spanish. The verdict was ultimately reversed and rendered by the Texas Supreme Court based on inconsistencies found in the theories of Plaintiff’s experts of causation and product defect.
• Everett v. TK Taito et al. Ct. App. (Fort Worth) No. 2-04-181-CV. On the heels of many other successful actions in other states, Everett sued on behalf of a statewide putative class of vehicle owners with a specific brand of seatbelt buckle. As they had in many other states, Plaintiffs' counsel alleged that the design of the buckles made them susceptible to partial unlatching and thus a severe risk of injury in a collision. Creatively arguing for the first time that the “propensity” to unlatch did not manifest in an “actual injury” and thus eliminating standing for Mr. Everett, the trial court granted summary judgment for the Defendants. The ruling was upheld on appeal. As a result of his work, Mr. Cox was interviewed by the Forbes Radio Network.