Mikolajczyk v. Ford Motor Company

              THIRD DIVISION
June 13, 2007
No. 1-05-3133
CONNIE MIKOLAJCZYK, Individually and as ) Appeal from the
Special Administrator of the Estate of James ) Circuit Court of
Mikolajczyk, Deceased, ) Cook County.
)
Plaintiff-Appellee, ))
v. ) No. 00L3342
)
FORD MOTOR COMPANY and MAZDA )
MOTOR CORPORATION, ))
The Honorable
Defendants-Appellants ) James P. Flannery, Jr.,
) Judge Presiding.
(William D. Timberlake, ))
Defendant). )
JUSTICE GREIMAN delivered the opinion of the court:
Plaintiff Connie Mikolajczyk, individually and as special administrator of the estate of her
deceased husband James Mikolajczyk (hereinafter referred to as James), brought suit alleging
strict products liability for a defective design against defendants Ford Motor Company and Mazda
Motor Corporation (hereinafter referred to as defendants) and negligence against defendant
William D. Timberlake (hereinafter referred to as Timberlake). James died when his Ford Escort
was hit from behind by Timberlake’s car. Summary judgment was entered against Timberlake and
the case proceeded to a jury trial on the strict products liability claim. The jury found Timberlake
60% responsible for causing James’s death and defendants 40% responsible. The jury awarded
plaintiff $2 million for loss of money, goods and services and $25 million for loss of society and
sexual relations. On appeal, defendants contended (1) that the trial court erred in instructing the