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Walker was a passenger in a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT driven by
Roger Rodas, who lost control of the vehicle before it careened
into trees and a utility pole in Santa Clarita, northwest of Los
Angeles, killing both men.
Rodas's widow filed a lawsuit against Porsche AG's <PSHG_p.DE>
North American unit last year, alleging negligence and wrongful
death among other claims.
Walker's death in November 2013 at the age of 40 led to a
temporary halt in production of "Fast & Furious 7," the latest
movie in the successful series about illegal street racing that
helped popularize his career. The movie is set to open on
Friday.
There was a ruling in the case in February in which the judge
dismissed some of the plaintiff’s claims but said Porsche must
face claims over whether the car was defectively designed and
made. Porsche's attorneys in their response on Monday laid the
blame on Rodas.
"Roger Rodas’s death, and all other injuries or damages claimed,
were the result of Roger Rodas’s own comparative fault," the
attorneys said.
Rodas "chose to conduct himself in a manner so as to expose
himself and others to such perils, dangers and risks," they
added.
The automaker's attorneys denied there were defects in the car,
and said they believed the vehicle was "abused and altered"
after being purchased in a way the company could not have
foreseen and that could have been a factor in the accident.
In her lawsuit seeking unspecified damages, Rodas's widow
alleged a suspension failure occurred on the car. Authorities
ruled the crash was caused by excessive speed and not a
mechanical failure.
(Additional reporting by Jessica Dye in New York)
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