Ford Expedition Owner Awarded Almost $57 Million In Lawsuit

Automakers get sued all the time for all kinds of things. And while many times those cases are quietly settled out of court, sometimes people get a big payday. But a recent case involving a woman in Colorado receiving almost $57 million after her leg was broken thanks to a defective Ford Expedition seems pretty extreme.

State Farm is getting sued for allegedly cheaping out on car repairs.

The case is an interesting one, especially with how the woman was hurt. She drove the 1998 Ford Expedition to her community mailbox, then got out while leaving the engine running. But the woman slipped and fell, with the transmission shifting itself into reverse and the front wheel rolling over her leg, fracturing her tibia and fibula, reports Car Complaints.

Admittedly, we’ve never heard of a vehicle shifting itself into reverse or any gear while left idling. We’re not saying it couldn’t or didn’t happen, only that we’ve just never seen such a thing. To have your leg broken that way doesn’t seem pleasant at all.

Apparently, such an issue where certain automatic transmissions shift from park to reverse does exist. We hope that’s a rarity

But why would the court award almost $57 million for a transmission issue that broke a woman’s leg? That seems a bit excessive on the surface.

But wait, there’s more.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiff’s attorneys allege that Ford “committed fraud, and has gone to great lengths to hide the truth, knowing that its fraud would kill or injure thousands of Americans.” So perhaps the huge award was meant to send a message to Ford and other automakers about sweeping big safety issues under the rug.

Not everyone will agree that this judgement is fair, especially Ford. And we’re not here to say whether or not the automaker engaged in some coverup, as alleged by the plaintiff’s attorneys. But we do think all companies have a social responsibility to take action and correct problems in products which pose a serious public safety risk.

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