XeroK00L

$30.4M and $42M...wow...

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...C03-336367.htm

Tuesday, October 4, 2005

Ford ordered to pay $30.4 million
Attorneys said girl died when F-150's roof crushed and she was thrown from the pickup truck.

By Jeff Plungis / Detroit News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- A Texas jury ordered Ford Motor Co. Monday to pay the family of a 16-year-old girl $30.4 million to compensate for a fatal 2004 rollover crash in which a pickup truck's roof collapsed.

The attorneys for Jessica Garcia argued that the F-150's roof crushed, and the girl was ejected when her seat belt failed to keep her inside the vehicle when the pickup rolled over. They said Ford's design wasn't safe.

"Ford should treat its customers like prized possessions; instead, it treats them like lab rats," said Mikal Watts, the Garcia family attorney.

The Brownsville, Texas, verdict follows a similar case decided last month -- also argued by Watts --where another Texas jury awarded a family $42 million following the death of a 10-year-old boy killed in an Expedition SUV.

The jury in Brownsville awarded the family $20.4 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages.

Ford said it would appeal the verdict. The company argued that the evidence showed Garcia was not wearing a seat belt, and the crash was caused by a negligent driver striking her vehicle at highway speeds.

"This is another tragic reminder that seat belts can help save lives only when they are worn," said Ford spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes.

Legal observers said that juries are questioning whether automakers have done enough to make top-heavy trucks and SUVs safer in crashes.

"Jurors are finding that manufacturers have done little or nothing to protect occupants in rollovers," said Sean Kane, president of SRS Inc., a Massachusetts safety research firm.

mmarshall

If the girl was thrown from the truck, that alone is not conclusive evidence but it is a strong indication that she was not wearing her belt. I think Ford may have grounds for an appeal.

( I have served on auto accident-related juries...once as the foreman....and I've seen how smooth-talking lawyers on both sides try to distort the evidence and the truth to their client's advantage )

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

I wonder how many cars ford had to sell to make 30million, and how many more they have to sell now to make it up with thier family discount.

mmarshall

I don't have te exact figures with me.....maybe 1SICK or Amethy SC does......but supposedly Ford makes $8000-$10,000 on every full-size SUV they sell.....Expeditions, Navigators, just-discontinued Excursions, etc.......

Unfortunately, gas prices are going to kill of sales of many of these Big Berthas. Sales are already headed downhills.

AgentWD-40

How does that compare to the Japanese trucks and SUV's?

I have always felt that with big trucks and SUV's your really get less for more. It seems the contents of a 30-40k SUV/Truck is comparable to a 20-25k car. They seem to be getting better with the increased competition. Still I think that 40k for a V8 4Runner, Explorer, etc is too much for what you get.

mmarshall

I'm not sure I completely understand your question and how you mean it or what it relates to...... but in general I don't see Nissan being able to keep up Titan sales or Toyota keeping up Tundra sales any more than the domestic full-sizers if gas mileage alone is figured. Toyota might have a litlle edge over Nissan here...for two reasons. First, the Tundra has been markedly more reliable and well-built than the Titan.......the Nissan plant at Canton, MS has had its share of problems, and, second, the Tundra gets somewhat better mileage because even though it is ( falsely ) marketed as a full-sizer ( and quite aggressively ) it is in fact a lighter and slightly more economical mid-size truck....its dimensions are almost identical to the mid-size Dodge Dakota. The Titan, in contrast, is a true full-sizer....with full-size truck mileage.

( In fact, one of the ironic things at Toyota is that the Tacoma grew markedly last year to the point that IT is a borderline mid-sizer now, so in effect Toyota actually sells TWO different mid-size trucks )

Anyhow, we got a little off-topic...we were dealing with a $30 million judgement against Ford and the question was brought up how many SUV's Ford would have to sell to recover the money.