Wire Services, "San Pedro family verdict: $50 million; Punitive award for a death blamed on a faulty vehicle produced by DaimlerChrysler follows decision granting compensatory damages"

          A San Pedro woman and her three children were awarded $50 million in punitive damages Wednesday in a wrongful death suit against DaimlerChrysler Corp. A Los Angeles Superior Court jury found that DaimlerChrysler knowingly and intentionally failed to cure a defect that led to the May 1, 2004, death of 38-year-old Richard Mraz, according to Robert J. Nelson, attorney for Mraz's widow, Adriana Mraz.
          On March 2, the same jury found DaimlerChrysler liable for the death of Richard Mraz and returned a verdict of $5.2 million in compensatory damages for Adriana Mraz and her children. The 34-year-old widow and her children brought a wrongful death suit against the automotive company. Two of the children were Richard Mraz's stepchildren and the other was his biological child, Nelson said.
          Nelson said he was gratified with the verdict and hoped it sends a message to DaimlerChrysler to repair the park-to-reverse defect in the Dodge Dakota's automatic transmission. Richard Mraz suffered head injuries when the 1992 Dodge Dakota pickup truck he was driving at his work site, the San Pedro/Long Beach Maritime Terminal, ran him over after he exited the vehicle believing it was in park, according to Nelson.