AUCKLAND -- An Auckland family are to sue fizzy drink giant Coca-cola for 130,000 NZ dollars (76,000 U.S. dollars) after a Coke bottle exploded in the back of their car.

The incident left a couple and their 11-year-old son shaken and bleeding when fragments from the exploded 600- milliliter bottle cut them more than two years ago, the Sunday ***Star Times*** has reported.

Rasoul Adjani, his wife Fatima and son Jason required medical treatment after the incident in January 2001.

Jason -- now 13 -- suffers ongoing psychological problems such as nightmares, according to the ***Times***, while their car sustained 4,000 NZ dollars of damage when shards from the bottle pierced the upholstery.

The family now want to sue the company after an earlier settlement fell through.

Coca-Cola Amatil, the New Zealand licensee of a company that last year made 5.3 billion NZ dollars profit, initially offered the family 4,000 NZ dollars for "out-of-pocket" expenses.

In July 2001 they offered the Adjanis 21,000 NZ dollars but withdrew when negotiations dragged on.

The Adjanis are now suing the company for a total of 130,000 NZ dollars, including 35,000 dollars for psychiatric harm to Jason, costs of 4,000 dollars for the damaged car, 25,000 dollars in legal fees as well as 75,000 dollars to recover lost earnings. Rasoul Adjani was off work for six months after the incident, the ***Times*** reported.

Coca-Cola said it manufactured 300 million bottles a year in New Zealand and had never encountered anything like this before, the ***Times*** reported.

U.S.-based firm Plastic Technologies tested the bottle fragments for Coca-Cola. In its report it said the bottle underwent "catastrophic failure" as evidenced by the large numbers of cracks and tears.

Coca-Cola insists there is no evidence of negligence, and has refused to comment further.

The Adjanis statement of claim for the money has been filed in the Auckland District Court, but a hearing date has yet to be set.