Santa Clara, CA: Hyundai is facing a defective automotive class action lawsuit alleging the panoramic sunroofs in its vehicles spontaneously shatter. Filed by Billy Glen, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, the lawsuit asserts that during the mid-2000s car manufacturers introduced a substantially larger style of "panoramic" sunroof that spans almost the entire roof of the vehicle. Though aesthetically pleasing, these sunroofs, which require the replacement of metal roofs with large plates of glass, pose significant engineering challenges, and can shatter without warning. The suit states that more than 100 drivers have reported to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) that their panoramic roofs spontaneously shattered.
According to the complaint, despite having known about the problem since October 2012, when the NHTSA investigated the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Co., have not addressed the issue.
The lawsuit states that despite knowledge of the issue, Hyundai has not yet warned drivers, including the named plaintiff, and still sells the defective vehicles, and denies that the defect exists.
Glenn and others in the class seek damages, restitution, interests, attorney fees, and other costs of the suit, together to exceed $5 million. They are represented by attorneys Eric H. Gibbs, Dylan Hughes and Steve Lopez of Gibbs Law Group in Oakland, California; by attorney Jason T. Dennett of Tousley Brain Stephens in Seattle; by attorneys Gregory F. Coleman, Lisa A. White, and Mark E. Silvey of Greg Coleman Law in Knoxville, Tennessee; by attorneys Shanon J. Carson and Eric Lechtzin of Berger & Montague in Philadelphia; and by attorney Paul C. Peel of Farris Bobango Branan in Memphis, Tennessee.
The lawsuit is U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 8:15-CV-02052-KES.
