Yelchin, 27, was killed on June 19 when his 2015 Grand Cherokee, which was covered under the recall, rolled backward in the steep driveway of his Los Angeles home and crushed the actor against a brick wall and fence. He had gotten out of the vehicle momentarily, but it is unknown why he was behind it when it started rolling.
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The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is believed to be the first wrongful death complaint linked to the Fiat Chrysler recall in April of more than 1.1 million cars and SUVs because of vehicles that roll away after drivers exit them.
The suit does not say how much Yelchin’s parents are seeking in damages, but their attorney Gary A. Dordick said they want the company to be punished and hope the lawsuit changes its business practices. “They failed to take action to protect the families that trusted them to make their vehicles safe”.
ANTON YELCHIN was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death. He died with no will on June 19, after being crushed against a gate by his vehicle in his own driveway. “Anton’s untimely death was due to a defective 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee that had a defective electronic transmission shift”.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has said that the gear selectors in question clearly pose a safety issue that has led to hundreds of crashes and dozens of injuries.
Yelchin received a safety recall notice in May, and another notice was sent to the actor seven days after he died notifying him that the company had a fix for the gear shifter, Dordick said.
“They didn’t start fixing it until people were injured and people finally got killed”, Dordick claims.
Fiat Chrysler announced in June that it would soon furnish software upgrades to address the problem in all recalled vehicles.
“They can not wait for someone to be hurt or someone to be killed before they do the right thing”, says Dordick. “They can not wait for someone to be hurt and someone to be killed before they do the right thing”.
Fiat Chrysler extended its sympathies to Yelchin’s parents but said it could not comment on the lawsuit because it had not been served with it. FCA US urges customers to follow the instructions in their owners manuals and the information cards sent with their recall notices.
Yelchin’s parents also spoke at the press conference. “It’s against nature when a parent has to bury their own child”. “He was very special, but now he’s very special because his death might save some other lives”. “As wonderful as this is to be here with all of you, and to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, there is something wrong tonight”, producer J.J. Abrams said.
In tears, Mrs Yelchin added: “Every morning we’re getting text messages or emails from his friends all around the world saying how much. losing this lovely human being, and the world is really missing him and it’s not right that he is not here”.
Last month, the Yelchins penned a heartfelt note to the actor’s fans. “We were always proud of him being greatest human being, not being a star or being an actor. He would be surprised at how many hearts and souls he touched”, the letter read.
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YOUNG TALENT: Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov in “Star Trek: Into Darkness“.
