The trial opened last month in Bainbridge, Georgia, in Decatur County Superior Court in the death of Remington Walden, 4, who died after the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by his aunt, Emily Newsome, was hit in the rear by a 1997 Dodge Dakota. Newsome, who was driving the boy to tennis lessons, was waiting to turn left, when the driver of the Dakota struck the SUV at high speed, causing the fuel tank to burst.
At the time of the crash, federal safety regulators were investigating fires in Jeep SUVs, including the model involved in the fatal crash. Regulators had requested a recall, but Chrysler resisted until a more-limited recall was issued for similar models before 1999.
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Under government pressure after the crash, Fiat Chrysler recalled an estimated 1.56 million 2002-07 Jeep Liberty and 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs for the problem in June 2013, and agreed to install trailer hitches to protect the gas tanks. The company also sent letters to 2.27 million owners, though it isn't clear how many are still on the road.
The verdict included $30 million for pain and suffering, $120 million for Walden's life. It also assigned 1 percent of the fault to the driver of the vehicle that hit Walden's SUV and 99 percent to Fiat Chrysler.
The company said it was disappointed and considering an appeal.
