The stunning $150-million jury verdict in a Georgia case involving a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee is likely to spell more legal trouble for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
The verdict, rendered after a dramatic two-week trial, has already prompted renewed pressure on government regulators to take another look at Jeep SUVs with rear-mounted fuel tanks, which were standard on older model Jeep Libertys and Grand Cherokees. The trial also was closely watched nationally by other plaintiff attorneys and families of similar accidents.