Motor vehicle defect attorneys will admit that the 1987 Ford F-150 poses serious fire dangers when involved in a car collision. In 1995, a 24-year-old landscape foreman was driving his 1987 Ford F-150 truck on Route 97 in Maryland. When another truck crossed the center line and collided with the truck, the F-150 burst into flames. The man was trapped inside and conscious for several minutes as bystanders tried to free him. He subsequently suffered third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body and lost his right arm and right leg. His medical bills totaled $1.4 million, and he expects his future medical expenses to be in the millions of dollars.
The foreman driving the F-150 truck filed suit against Ford, his auto product liability attorney alleging that design problems--specifically the lack of an anti-siphoning device--in the1987 F-150 pickup allowed gasoline to pour out of the tank after the car collision and fuel the fire. His product liability attorney further alleged that the F-150's seat belt was defective because it would not open after the impact, thus trapping the foremen in a burning vehicle.
In a post-crash vehicle fire, a critically important defect is gas tank siphoning. Sparks from the cars electrical components, metal scraping metal on metal scraping roadway can ignite the siphoned fuel. Most cars manufactured after the early 1980s have three fuel lines: supply, return, and vapor lines. Siphoning occurs most often in the return line or supply line. It can be prevented in many cases by a variety of simple, inexpensive safety valves that were available years before the 1987 F-150 truck was manufactured. Ford documents from as early as the 1970s discuss the various checks or shutoff valves that would remedy this potential hazard.
Ford's experts testified that the F-150's fire was fed by brake fluid, not gasoline, and that a check valve would not have prevented the foreman's personal injuries. Experts countered, claiming the fire was fed by 12 to 16 gallons of gasoline.
This is another example where an inexpensive part could have saved both plaintiff and defendant a lot of suffering and expense. In this case, a $1 part that was installed in other cars might have prevented gasoline from spilling out, horribly burning and permanently maiming a young man. It also could have saved Ford millions of dollars.
After a four-week trial, a Baltimore jury awarded the foreman over $26 million in damages. This included $15 million in non-economic damages, which was reduced by the Court to $500,000, the maximum apparently allowed under Maryland law. The award was one of the largest in Maryland's history. The foreman plans to use the money to continue therapy and obtain artificial limbs.
Ford insisted that the product defect allegations lacked merit and that the jury was swayed by overwhelming sympathy for injured victim and the personal injuries he sustained.
In choosing to leave out a $1 part that other vehicles had wisely incorporated, Ford jeopardized the safety of its customers. The foreman's action in taking Ford to court clearly shows how our justice system works to compensate those who have been needlessly injured. The jury's award is America's message to Ford that their failure to act was not acceptable. Hopefully, this lawsuit will help convince Ford to respond effectively to known safety defects to prevent further serious personal injuries.
We extend our sincerest sympathies to the injured foremen for all the pain and personal injuries he has suffered. We wish him well.
Since their founding in 1978, Bisnar Chase lawyers have represented over four thousand people in car, motorcycle, truck, pedestrian and other personal injury cases. The law firm has an "AV" rating, the highest level of professional excellence, by Martindale-Hubble. John Bisnar, who is the author of this article, and his partner Brian Chase each have a "10" Avvo rating, the highest possible. John was named a "Community Hero" by the United Way, while Brian was named a "Trial Lawyer of the Year" in 2004 and one of the 2007 Top 100 Trial Lawyers. More important than all their top ratings and awards are the testimonials their clients bestow on them. Aren't these the type of guys you want representing you? For more information on motor vehicle defect attorneys, visit the Bisnar Chase web site at http://www.bestattorney.com or call 1-800-561-4887.
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