Tragic accident underlines need for safer vehicles in rollover situations

In March 2004, a 16-year-old Brownsville girl died tragically when another motorist struck the Ford F-150 pickup truck that her father was driving. The truck rolled over, and according to the lawsuit, the slack seat belt allowed her head to exit the vehicle and strike the pavement. The girl was in a coma for three weeks before finally succumbing to her injuries.

In the resulting court trial against Ford, a jury awarded the family of the girl $30.4 million in actual and punitive damages.

Ford contested that “the lack of physical evidence clearly proved that she was not wearing her seat belt” and that this accident was a “reminder that seat belts can help save lives only when they are worn.” However a Texas Department of Public Safety investigation into the accident reported that she was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, contradicting Ford’s claims.

The number of rollovers has increased over the last decade as top-heavy vehicles like pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans have gained popularity. These vehicles tend to have a higher risk of rollover than passenger cars because they are usually higher off the ground, raising their center of gravity. To compound the situation, there is now proof that roof crush is a major contributing factor to the severity of injuries in a rollover accident. And many safety features like seat belt pretensioners and air bags do not deploy in rollovers, although the technology that would allow them to do so exists today.

After the Brownsville verdict, Ford claimed that its vehicles meet all government safety standards. That may be true, but automakers know the dangers of rollovers and know how to reduce the risk of severe injury. Many safety standards such as those governing roof strength – which incidentally were designed by the manufacturers themselves – have not been updated since 1971. “Meeting government standards” is not the same as “protecting the lives of consumers from a known design defect.”

Ford also argued that the fault of the accident was with the other driver who struck the pickup truck. Therefore, the company said, the death of the teenager could not be blamed on Ford. But again this deflects the obligation of the automaker: manufacturers have a responsibility to make sure their vehicles are safe – especially during an accident. The ruling illustrates that although Ford did not “cause” the accident, the vehicle design and lack of functioning safety features certainly contributed to the severity of the injuries.

If you or a loved one have been in any accident where the design of the vehicle caused you injury or potentially made your injuries worse, contact the personal injury lawyers at Jim S. Adler & Associates. We bring 30 years of experience to the table, helping our clients get the compensation they deserve from negligent auto design and manufacturing. More severe injuries usually mean higher medical bills and more lost time from work. Don’t suffer financially as well as physically. Contact a personal injury attorney at Jim S. Adler & Associates right now for a free case review and make sure your rights are protected.

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