Submit your claim details for a free, no obligation case review
Get Started:
A California court of appeals ordered Ford Motor Company to pay a jury award of $82.6 million to a woman left paralyzed after a rollover accident in 2002.
In June 2004, Benetta Buell-Wilson and her husband were awarded $369 million, including $246 million in punitive damages, by a San Diego jury. The judgment was later reduced to $150 million by a trial court.
Ford filed a motion requesting further reduction of the award or a reversal of the verdict. The California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District rejected the automaker''s motion to throw out the verdict but did reduce the judgment.
Buell-Wilson was a 46-year-old graduate student when her 1997 Ford Explorer flipped over on a California highway while trying to maneuver around an obstruction. The lawsuit claimed that the vehicle''s design made it prone to roll over even in everyday situations.
The 2004 verdict - the first handed down against Ford in a string of Explorer rollover lawsuits – was the second-highest award in an automobile products liability claim in U.S. history.
Copyright © 2001 - 2012 Online Lawyer Source
ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT—Thank you for your visit. The content published on this website was not written by medical professionals and should not, at any point, be mistaken for medical advice. Furthermore, the information on this site is intended for educational purposes only and should never interfere with a patient/site visitor and his or her healthcare provider. In addition, viewing the content on this website, requesting additional information, or transmitting information through a contact form should never be considered the formation of an attorney-client relationship. The material published on this site is general and may not apply to your specific circumstances. Every case comes with its own set of unique circumstances; past success discussed on this site does not guarantee future performance. Information found on this website should not be used as incentive to act without seeking counsel from a professional. For more information, please read our disclaimer.