Robert C. Sinclair, Jr., as Administrator of the Estate of Pamela Marie Sinclair vs. Stans Harley Davidson, Inc. et al

Case Background

The plaintiff, Robert C. Sinclair Jr., filed the lawsuit on June 2, 2022, in the New York State Supreme Court, Livingston County (Case number: 000403-2022). Judge Craig J. Doran presided over the case.

Cause

On August 23, 2020, Pamela Marie Sinclair, a 55-year-old resident of LeRoy, New York, rode her 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Rod motorcycle. She traveled northbound on State Route 19 in Warsaw, Wyoming County, New York. As Pamela approached the intersection with Route 20A, her motorcycle suddenly lost power and stalled. Despite her efforts, she could not restart the motorcycle or move it off the roadway. While stranded in the travel lane, another vehicle struck her from behind. The violent collision ejected Pamela from the motorcycle, causing catastrophic injuries. Emergency responders rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she fought for her life for two days before succumbing to her injuries on August 25, 2020. Investigators revealed that a malfunction in the motorcycle's engine control module (ECM), manufactured by Robert Bosch LLC, caused the sudden power loss. The malfunction left Pamela vulnerable on the road. She had purchased the motorcycle from Stan's Harley-Davidson, Inc., a local dealership in Batavia, New York. Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, LLC was responsible for the motorcycle's overall design and manufacture.

Injuries

The collision caused Pamela Marie Sinclair devastating injuries, including severe head trauma, likely resulting in traumatic brain injury. She also sustained multiple internal injuries, potentially involving damage to vital organs. The impact fractured numerous parts of her body, including possible spinal, rib, and limb fractures. In h