Auto Cases

In July 2003, one man was killed and his wife severely burned when their 1993 Lincoln Town Car was rear-ended, causing the gas tank to rupture and burn. The car was stopped at a construction zone when the driver of the car behind, who was searching for lost sunglasses, failed to see the Town Car and slammed into the back of the vehicle. The driver was fined $500 and sentenced to two years of court supervision.

Although it is clear that this driver caused the accident, the family took Ford to court contending that it was the faulty design of the vehicle that caused the gas tank to rupture and lead to the devastating fire.

The family’s lawyer contended that faulty design was also the case in 416 other fiery accidents with cars of the same design. These include the Crown Victoria, the Grand Marquis, and the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI). There are several design faults of these vehicles, which have been long known, although Ford chooses not to fix them. In fact the basic design has not been changed since 1979.

First is the position of the gas tank. It sits behind the rear axle in what is commonly known as the “crumple zone.” This is the same configuration of the infamous Ford Pinto. The gas tank can wrap around the axle, causing it to split or puncture. Also of note is a sharp bolt located on the axle. Even if the gas tank does not wrap around, this bolt can still puncture the tank, leading to leakage and fire.

But what the family didn’t know before the accident was that Ford addressed this design flaw in the CVPI by installing gas tank shields in the new models, and offered a free retrokit to police departments. The kit was also available to the civilian owners – at their own cost – but it was not widely advertised.

“He could have been saved by Ford for the price of a 37-cent stamp,” said the jury foreman. “The kicker for me and the other jurors was that the same design of gas tanks in that Town Car had caused fatal fires in police cars. Ford warned the police. They should have warned civilians.”

The jury awarded the family a total of $47 million in damages and punitive charges as a result of Ford’s negligence.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash involving fire, contact a personal injury attorney at Jim S. Adler & Associates. We’ll put our decades of experience to work for you, ensuring that you get full and fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Don’t wait another day to find out your options. Contact Jim S. Adler & Associates for a free case review by calling us directly, or by clicking the link on this page.

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