$15 Million Oklahoma Personal Injury Award For Product Defect Claim Against Ford
A federal court jury made the Oklahoma personal injury award this week after determining the Ford Explorer's roof was too weak to withstand the rollover that killed Tyler Moody in 2003. Ford plans to appeal this personal injury award claiming the accident was caused by Moody's unsafe driving not a product defect in the Ford Explorer.
Attorneys for Ford in the Oklahoma personal injury case argued that Moody's reckless driving, not a product defect, caused the death of the 18 year old. Moody was driving 70 mph around a curve with a speed limit of 35 mph when the Ford Explorer rolled over and the roof collapsed killing Moody. This Oklahoma personal injury verdict is the fifth largest product defect claim award this year.
The five largest product defect claim awards in 2006 were all against Ford Motor Company. Ford is still facing several hundred more personal injury suits this year for product defect claims related to Ford Explorer rollovers.