A federal judge has ruled that the family of a man killed in a Ford Explorer rollover accident can move forward with their lawsuit against the automaker.
As reported by Bloomberg:
James L. Haffey was killed in 1997 when the driver lost control of the Explorer after a Firestone Inc. tire broke apart. His family sued Ford and Firestone’s parent, Bridgestone Corp., claiming defects in the vehicle and tire. In 1999, the Haffeys settled with Ford for $500,000 and with Firestone for an undisclosed amount, said Tab Turner, an attorney for the family. In 2001, after reports linked Explorer rollovers to Firestone tire failures, the family filed a new claim. It argued Ford withheld evidence to settle for less than the case was worth. A federal judge in Mississippi dismissed the new suit in 2006. A U.S. appeals court in New Orleans reinstated it July 31, finding the family could sue Ford for deceit.
The lawsuit will allegedly seek $4.5 million in damages, the original amount sought in the case.
