REPORT: Ford loses appeal in rollover case, must pay $55M

[wickedstangs]

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/suvs/" rel="tag">SUV</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/safety/" rel="tag">Safety</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20091130/AUTO01/911300388/1148/Supreme-Court-lets-stand-award-in-Ford-SUV-lawsuit"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/1997fordexplorerside4.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
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According to <em>The Detroit News</em>, the Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that Ford Motor Company is at fault for a 2002 rollover crash involving a 1997 Ford Explorer and the Dearborn, MI-based automaker must pay $55 million in punitive damages. Benetta Buell-Wilson's Explorer <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/15/ford-rollover-settlement-under-re-review/">rolled over four-and-a-half times</a> after she swerved to avoid debris. When the roof collapsed on her neck, it severed her spinal cord and left her paralyzed.<br />
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Ford unsuccessfully argued that it shouldn't be punished due to the fact that the Explorer complied with federal safety standards when it was built. Buell-Wilson was originally awarded $369 million in damages, but a pair of California courts cut down the total value of damages to $82.6 million.<br />
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[Source: <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20091130/AUTO01/911300388/1148/Supreme-Court-lets-stand-award-in-Ford-SUV-lawsuit">The Detroit News</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/ford-loses-appeal-in-roll-over-case-must-pay-55m/">REPORT: Ford loses appeal in rollover case, must pay $55M</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.detnews.com/article/20091130/AUTO01/911300388/1148/Supreme-Court-lets-stand-award-in-Ford-SUV-lawsuit>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/ford-loses-appeal-in-roll-over-case-must-pay-55m/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19259037/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/ford-loses-appeal-in-roll-over-case-must-pay-55m/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>


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[0ne_sik_notch]

that car is right hand drive

 

[Feared]

well, thats garbage. The car was built to suit federal safety standards.. the ****ing suv flipped 4 times, im not suprised the roof collapsed.

And if there is debree in the road, you're not suppose to swerve, correct? I know its like that for animals in the road.

Why dont they just put roll cages in all cars!!? (because its not practical, nor economical)

 

[Mach1Marauder]

Just plain stupid!
People are no longer responsible for their own actions in today's society:nononononono:!

 

[atlblue98gt]

ho stupid. Thats more than 10 years old. IT should be ruled unsuitable or something. Idk.

 

[SexyMach1]

wow. maybe i should try blaming ford on my wreck and get a couple million...lol:rock:

 

[sdsubzero4]

This is what happened when I flipped my 2007 Explorer. I came out unscathed. It rolled a couple of times if I remember correctly. I say it held up pretty good.

 

[wickedstangs]

man Danny that would be scary.. How many times you change your pants

 

[sdsubzero4]

man Danny that would be scary.. How many times you change your pants

Zilch. :rock:

I got out and called my insurance company right away. LOL!

 

[atlblue98gt]

Zilch. :rock:

I got out and called my insurance company right away. LOL!

even before you called the police, or someone to get you. LOL :rofl:

 

[sdsubzero4]

even before you called the police, or someone to get you. LOL :rofl:

Nah....Border Patrol was waiting for me to stop rolling.....LOL! I swear, I saw red and blue lights flashing as I was rolling. LMAO!!!! They just happened to be driving up and saw me rolling. They called CHP and did a quick eval on me right after they helped me yank open the door.