General Motors Corporation - Rear Lap Belt - No Shoulder Belt: Document Requests
STATE OF WISCONSIN - CIRCUIT COURT - DANE COUNTY
CIVIL DIVISION
ELIZABETH D. WOLF and RICHARD
A. WOLF, wife and husband,
and KATE E. WOLF, a minor
child, and PHYSICIAN'S PLUS
INSURANCE CORPORATION, a
Wisconsin corporation,
Plaintiffs,
Case No. 92-CV-3140
PRODUCTS LIABILITY - 30100
v.
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION,
a Delaware corporation, and
ARRENS OLDSMOBILE-CADILLAC,
INC., a Wisconsin corporation,
Defendants.
PLAINTIFFS' REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION To
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION DATED JULY 9, 1993
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
CIO Barry E. Fields, Esq.
Kirkland & Ellis
200 East Randolph Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
Michael J. Gonring, Esq.
Quarles & Brady
411 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Plaintiffs, by their attorneys, Cunningham Lyons & Cabaniss,
S.C., request that the defendant General Motors Corporation admit
or deny in writing, within thirty (30) days, pursuant to S 804.19
Wis. Stats., the following facts, and if they can not truthfully
admit or deny such facts, defendant shall set forth in detail the
reasons why such admissions or denials cannot be made:
DEFINITIONS
1. The term "subject vehicle" refers to the 1988
Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera which is the subject of this litigation.
ADMISSIONS
1. That General Motors designed its restraint systems so
as to prevent the transfer of slack from the chest section to the
lap section under impact loading for 1988 model year cars.
2. That the meeting minutes of the Automotive Safety
Technical Committee dated September 7, 1965 include the notation
that the "restraint system must be designed so as to prevent the
transfer of slack from the chest section to the lap section under
impact loading".
3. That it has been a restraint system design goal of
General Motors since 1965 to design its car restraint systems so
as to prevent the transfer of slack from the chest section to the
lap section under impact loading.
4. That since May 5, 1982, General Motors has maintained
a design manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems Design
Procedures and Performance Considerations".
5. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" has been used
in connection with the design of automobile restraint systems at
General Motors since 1982.
6. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can increase the possibility of
submarining.
7. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can increase lap belt peak load and the
time to require achieve significant loading of the lap belt.
8. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can increase total hip travel.
9. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can increase the potential for higher femur
loads (depending on vehicle configuration).
10. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can induce head travel.
11. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the lap belt can be minimized in order to reduce HIC.
12. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides that
slack in the shoulder belt has more influence on HIC and head
travel than slack in the lap belt.
13. That the manual entitled, "Belt Restraint Systems
Design Procedures and Performance Considerations" provides it is
usually beneficial to minimize slack in the lap belt.
Dated this 9th day of July, 1993.
CUNNINHAM LYONS & CABANISS, S.C.
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
JOHN C. CABANISS
State Bar No. 1002857
P.O. ADDRESS:
207 East Michigan Street
Suite 400
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 271-4655
CO-COUNSEL:
Anthony C. Anegon, Esq.
Aherin & Rice, P.A.
1212 Idaho Street
P.O. Drawer 698
Lewiston, ID 83501-0698
I certify that on 7/9/93, I
mailed the within papers on all
counsel of record pursuant to
S 801.14(2) Wis. Stats.