August 25, 2001 -Tire Company Settles Injury Suit; Courts: Texas Family Gets $7.5 Million From Bridgestone/Firestone Before Jury Verdict.
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. paid the family of a paralyzed crash victim nearly
$7.5 million Friday, settling yet another tire defect lawsuit before a jury
could reach a verdict.
The $1-billion lawsuit filed by the family of 39-year-old Marisa Rodriguez
was the first of hundreds of Bridgestone/Firestone complaints to reach trial
since the company recalled 6.5 million flawed tires last summer. A federal court
jury in the Texas border town of McAllen had been deliberating for four days
when the settlement was struck.
A lawyer for the Rodriguez family predicted that sooner or later a verdict
will emerge from the mass of lawsuits.
"There's going to be trials and there's going to be verdicts," Tab Turner
said Friday. "We've got Marisa Rodriguezes all over the country."
The company admitted no liability in the settlement. The amount was not
disclosed, but a source close the negotiations said it was worth nearly $7.5
million.
Federal investigators have traced more than 200 deaths and 700 injuries to
Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires.
Details of the Rodriguez crash were similar to those in scores of other
lawsuits already settled out of court by both companies: The family's Explorer
flipped over and rolled three times on a Mexican roadway after the treads of a
Bridgestone/Firestone tire peeled away. Rodriguez, the mother of three, has had
to use a wheelchair ever since.
"Our mission here, for our family, was to make sure no other person suffered
like our family did," said husband Joel Rodriguez. "Marisa is the important
thing. We think that now we can get our lives back together."
The Rodriguez family originally sued Ford Motor Co. and
Bridgestone/Firestone. Ford paid the family $6 million to stay out of court.
Bridgestone/Firestone, meanwhile, used the courtroom floor to blame Ford for
the rollovers. Earlier this year, a 95-year relationship between the two
companies dissolved into a flurry of finger pointing.
"We were very happy to be able to get our story out in front of this jury,"
Bridgestone/Firestone lawyer Bob Schick said. "This is not just a tire issue,
this is a vehicle issue as well."
The tire company argued that design flaws in the sport-utility vehicle made
it prone to rollovers. Firestone recalled 6.5 million ATX, ATXII and Wilderness
AT tires last August in one of the largest product recalls in U.S. history.
"We are glad we were able to reach a resolution with the Rodriguez family,"
the company said. "Since the outset, when we provided financial assistance to
help with the family's medical bills, we have been hopeful that we could reach
a fair settlement that would also bring closure."
In all Firestone / Ford blowout and rollover cases it is essential that measures be taken promptly to preserve evidence, investigate the accident in question, and to enable physicians or other expert witnesses to thoroughly evaluate any injuries. If you or a loved one is a victim of a serious automobile accident, callLittman & Babiarz, Attorneys at Law now at 607-277-7527 or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don't delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.
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