Ford Motor Company Awards $26.2M for Car Accident
On January 10, 2002, Michael Boyle of Swoyersville, Pennsylvania crashed his passenger compartment into the rear of a Ford F-800 Truck. Automobile experts agreed that the flatbed truck had a faulty under-ride guard, the metal bar designed to stop cars at their bumpers so they don’t crash through to the passenger compartments when they hit trucks from behind.
Evidence shows that Boyle was traveling 22-31 miles/hour faster than the truck and that a proper under-ride guard wouldn’t have snapped.
Boyle sustained massive head fractures and suffers from depression and closed head injuries which disabled him from thinking quickly. He had to leave his job as an ironworker to work for his father at a fireplace supply store. The Passaic jury awarded him with $25M for pain and suffering, impairment and loss of enjoyment of life. The balance was a total of: $279,000 for loss of wages, $1.6M for future lost wages, $2,400 for medical bills.
Ford Motor Company was found 70% responsible and Garden State Engine, 30%. The court also decided that the crash would have been 2.5% worse if the guard had worked and was reduced from the total award.
The defense argued that a sole witness said that Boyle’s lights were off and was traveling up to 60 miles/hour with no attempt to brake. Before filing this lawsuit, Boyle stated that he must have fallen asleep and sustained an unsafe driving charge, which was never admitted at the trial. Ford’s attorney says that the company will appeal the court’s decision.
(This information was obtained from the New Jersey Law Journal)
