   |
||||||||||
 |
|
 |
2007 News Releases Locke Reynolds Receives Defense Verdict for Ford INDIANAPOLIS, August 2007 – After deliberating for one hour, a state court jury in Laurel, Mississippi returned a unanimous defense verdict in a case alleging insufficient roof strength in a 1986 Ford Crown Victoria. Locke Reynolds attorneys, Kevin Schiferl and Todd Croftchik represented Ford as lead trial counsel, with the assistance of counsel from Baker Donelson (Jackson, Mississippi) and Cabaniss Smith Toole and Wiggins (Maitland, Florida). On December 22, 1998, William Bynum was the belted driver of his 1986 Crown Victoria, traveling on a paved, two-lane rural road. For unknown reasons, Mr. Bynum lost control of the vehicle when entering a corner. It left the roadway at approximately 40 mph, entered into a passenger side leading yaw and traveled 300 feet before it rolled over one half times coming to rest on its roof at the bottom of a roadside ditch. As a result of the crash, Mr. Bynum was rendered a quadriplegic. Plaintiff contended the roof of the Crown Victoria was defective and allowed excessive intrusion due to various gage reductions, material changes and the placement/design of holes in the C-pillar and rear header. Plaintiff also alleged Ford was negligent because it did not test the rear header to see how it would perform. Ford defended the case with evidence that the roof structure performed well over the occupant's seating position. The roof met the government's standard, FMVSS 216, and was a robust and reasonably safe design. Ford also presented evidence that Mr. Bynum had a stiffer than normal spine, "bamboo spine," and that his injury was caused by his body diving into the roof as opposed to any roof deformation.
|
Contact: Locke Reynolds LLP Fort Wayne, Indiana |
||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Locke Reynolds LLP. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. |
||||||||||