Kia technician sues company over serious injury during car repair
Kyiv • UNN
A Kia technician suffered a wrist injury while repairing a 2012 Kia Soul, blaming the manufacturer for design defects. The court rejected some of Kia's objections, allowing a third-party claim, but sided with the company on warranty claims.
Kia company found itself at the center of a lawsuit after an experienced service technician sustained a severe injury while working on a 2012 Kia Soul model. The incident occurred when the specialist was attempting to fix a malfunction inside the dashboard. This was reported by Autoblog, writes UNN.
Details
During standard manipulations, a hidden sharp metal edge cut the technician's wrist. The wound was so deep that it resulted in tendon damage, requiring the injured party to undergo surgery.
Mercedes CLA became Europe's safest car of 2025, surpassing Tesla16.01.26, 02:41 • 3078 views
The specialist, who holds the status of a master-certified Kia technician and has many years of experience working with similar models, accused the manufacturer of design defects, lack of warnings about danger, and breach of warranty obligations.
Legal confrontation and court decision
In response to the lawsuit, Kia stated that such cases should be covered exclusively by workers' compensation, and the plaintiff's legal arguments do not correspond to the situation. However, the Arkansas state court rejected some of the company's objections. According to local law, injured workers have the right to file lawsuits against third parties, which in this case is the car manufacturer.
Winners of the 2026 North American Car of the Year Awards Announced14.01.26, 20:59 • 3702 views
At the same time, the judge sided with Kia on the issue of warranty claims. The court noted that warranty protection extends to car buyers and their relatives, not to technical personnel who service the vehicle many years after the sale. Accusations of "special danger" of the car were also dropped, as an experienced professional should have been aware of the potential risks of working with metal parts. The case is currently ongoing regarding claims of negligence and manufacturing defects.