DOE FAMILY V. BUDGET RENT A CAR

This settlement is confidential as required by the defendant car rental company.

John Doe was killed by a drunk driver who had rented a car from the Car Rental Company. The drunk driver had a $15,000 insurance policy.

Not satisfied, we filed suit against the Car Rental Company and discovered that the drunk driver was unlicensed.

We based our claim against the Car Rental Company on a theory of negligent entrustment. This case was fought tooth and nail. Before trial the Car Rental Company offered the Doe family approximately $80,000.

The jury awarded the Doe family $5 million dollars. $2.5 million from Budget and $2.5 million from the drunk driver who was incarcerated and who had little or no assets. With interest, the verdict against Budget was over $3 million dollars.

The Court of Appeal reversed the judgment on a technicality. The case was scheduled to be re-tried in September 2002 when Budget filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Most of Budget's assets and liabilities were then acquired by Cendant Corporation in late 2002. A new trial was set for January 2004.

*This case was settled in January of 2004 for a confidential sum that exceeded 7 figures.