In 1997, a 17-year-old was the front passenger in a 1996 Ford Explorer when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The Explorer rolled over four times. The 17-year-old was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. His family sued Ford, claiming that poor handling and stability caused the rollover and that Ford had been aware of the problems and did nothing to correct the defect or warn consumers. The family presented evidence, including a $200 device that could have been used to prevent this type of problem, as well as internal Ford documents discussing instability problems. A jury returned a $61 million verdict against Ford. According to the family’s attorney, Explorers manufactured between 1991 and 2001 have similar instability problems and may be dangerous.
If you have been injured in a car accident involving a defect, you should contact a personal injury attorney right away so they can preserve any claims you may have.
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