Georgia trial lawyers win $16.4 million verdict in Jonesboro product liability case
A Jonesboro jury has held Ford liable for $16.4 million due to a Ford Explorer design defect that resulted in a woman’s paralysis. Lawyers for the injured woman were able to successfully convince the jury that her 2002 Ford Explorer’s occupant protection system was defective.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story.
On Christmas morning in 2005, Lynn Wheeler and her husband were on their way to church when their 2002 Ford Explorer was struck head-on by another vehicle. Lynn was wearing a lap-only seat belt at the time of the accident. She sustained grave injuries and is now a quadriplegic.
Attorneys for the Columbus and Atlanta law firm Butler, Wooten & Fryhoffer argued before a Clayton County jury that Ford had created a defective seat belt system which failed to properly restrain Lynn. The jury agreed and returned a 16.4 million verdict against Ford on December 18. The jury also determined that it should award punitive damages since Ford had shown a reckless disregard for safety. However, the parties settled before punitive damages could be awarded.
Our product liability lawyers have also represented clients who have been seriously injured in car accidents due to a defect within a vehicle. Injured consumers should know that Georgia provides powerful laws which give them the right to sue companies involved in the manufacture or sale of a defective product. As in this case, a products liability suit can often result in a substantial monetary award and force the offending company to create safer products in the future. While vehicles are the classic example in a products liability case, a defective product may include virtually anything a manufacturer puts into the market place including lawn equipment, eye glasses and household appliances.
