Mazda Japanese Parent Subject to Florida Suit Over Fatal Wreck

Japanese carmaker Mazda Motor Corp. must face suit in Florida by a mother who alleges her son died when his 2016 Mazda3 Sport caught fire after a rear-end collision in the state.

Mazda purposefully availed itself of the Florida market, and its Florida activities are closely enough linked with the claims to allow specific personal jurisdiction, a split Florida Third District Court of Appeal panel affirmed Wednesday.

• Lourdes Triche sued various Mazda entities on behalf of the estate of Alexandre Arrata Acevedo, a Florida resident who had bought the car from a Florida dealer
• The Japanese parent company designed vehicles ...