Vehicle safety and reliability are critical (if not the most important) factors in the purchasing process of a truck. For vehicles that individuals and business owners require performance from under extreme conditions, especially involving difficult roads and terrains, carrying heavy equipment, poor weather conditions and more, the safety of your vehicle remains critical. That is why the Ford Super Duty rollover threat and roof crush risk has been massively important, and concerning, for owners. Alleged weaknesses in the pillars and roof structures of these trucks have been connected to serious injuries and even death. Developments surrounding the Super Duty rollover matter have only recently revealed the shocking truth that Ford may have been aware of this problem and done nothing to secure the safety of consumers, while concealing the issue. If you are a current or former owner of the Super Duty vehicles identified below, it is critical that you preserve your legal rights, and safety, today!
While no one can plan for or should expect a vehicle problem or accident, consumers tend to rely upon the statements and confidence of the manufacturer regarding the vehicle’s reliability and safety. Suffice to say that Ford did not notify buyers of their Super Duty trucks that the vehicles could experience serious injuries when involved in a rollover accident. What’s more, there has been no widespread effort to repair these trucks to solve a manufacturing problem. As such, many in the legal community feel that the Super Duty trucks are a “ticking timebomb” for potential catastrophe should they be become involved in a rollover accident.
According to these lawsuits filed against Ford, Super Duty rollover accidents have tragically resulted in the death and injuries to of drivers and passengers. For the last 20 years, however, court records and testimony reveal that Ford knew that roof structures of the 1999-2016 trucks were defective and could result in extreme harm during a rollover. If that wasn’t enough, consider the damning fact that Ford has been sued over 200 times for allegedly concealing a defect in the pillar and roof integrity. The manufacturer obviously wished to keep the number of cases, fact pattern and discovery elements confidential to further conceal the safety issue represented here. That a court has now been forced to require that Ford reveal the concealed number and settlement amounts is tragic and disturbing. Yet Ford continues to stand by the integrity of these vehicles and deny responsibility.
This is not acceptable. But we also do not feel it fair and appropriate that owners are forced into accepting class actions settlements they had no part in negotiating, and without their consent.
Ford’s recent national-news trial regarding a death tied to the integrity of the Super Duty’s roof and pillars has resulted in a demand that the settlement information and incident data be released. Once this data that Ford has concealed is revealed, it’s likely only a matter of time before the public becomes even more outraged by the facts involved and recognizes the manufacturer made financial, but not responsible decisions when it came to preventing future harm. It is not only completely improper for a company to elevate profit over public safety, this data once revealed will likely frustrate if not infuriate those who placed their faith in Ford to protect their safety.
To be clear, the issues surrounding these roof and pillar safety hazards has only recently been publicized. So much harm has come about from resulting injuries that a class action has been filed. We are not the law firm who filed the class action; Stern Law is not a class action law firm. We instead represent individuals more interested in opting out of class action settlements and instead pursue their own individual claim for all of their damages. More specifically, our firm actively assists those who, once a class settlement has been reached, find the resolution to be inadequate and instead choose to seek a resolution through their own individual claim. We have done so for thousands with defective transmissions, and other manufacturing and design defects, in addition to those forced to modify their vehicle due to a manufacturer’s emissions cheating. Our firm has over 30 years’ experience helping those who have been harmed financially and otherwise by the decisions made by the manufacturers and to protect them and their investment.
This is not by asny means a “frivolous lawsuit.” It is not about demanding money or pressing a manufacturer out of greed. Instead, this is about holding a manufacturer responsible for allegations of making selfish boardroom decision making that focused on profit over the safety of consumers. When a company brands itself as “Ford Tough,” it is without question that those who purchase the vehicle, whether used or new, expect a product that does not come with massive design/structural issues. The collapse of the roof and pillars during rollover accidents for the Super Duty are truly tragic. That Super Duty rollover risks still exist is beyond concerning.
Stern Law, as noted above, is not a class action law firm. We unfortunately have seen far too many instances in class action settlements where the unique, individual experiences of certain current and former owners are ignored for the sake of a complete “one size fits all” resolution applicable to potentially millions of people – and their families. Our work to ensure that those who put their hard-earned money into a product they were assured was safe and reliable are treated and compensated appropriately for that manufacturer’s promise they relied on. There is a reason Ford aggressively fought the disclosure of their settlements with families in matters surrounding Ford Super Duty rollover accidents: the truth unfortunately doesn’t always match their sales pitch in commercials and other advertising materials.
Stern Law does not engage in frivolous lawsuits. Our no out-of-pocket cost guarantee makes clear we are only compensated when we are successful on your behalf. We have been selective and careful in the cases we choose to become involved in, oftentimes spurred into action when we see how a class action settlement may actually help the manufacturer more than it helps the victims. The sad truth is that our firm has already seen in the last ten years a variety of class action settlements in the auto industry that saved the manufacturer potentially billions of dollars in liability for a mere fraction of that as payouts to the class and, of course, payments to class counsel. The potential for members of a class to receive less in a class settlement rather than in an individual claim is widely known. However, unfortunately, class settlements typically are imposed automatically on those unaware of their rights or, that a case is ongoing or even that a class action has been settled that limits or eliminates their legal rights. We know because we receive these calls from owners every day, seeking relief from class action settlements that they were unaware of and certainly had not agreed to. Unfortunately for them, they missed the limited deadline to opt and now remain subject to the terms of the class action settlement.
Ford has already been sued by a class action law firm regarding this Super Duty rollover and roof crush matter. That is in addition to the previously mentioned 200+ settlements and countless other cases pending or potentially coming forward as time goes on. Our firm believes a class action settlement could be harmful to victims in this matter if it fails to account for each Plaintiff’s unique damages. We have seen class actions lump different individuals with vastly different injuries and damages into a “one size fits all” solution with minimal if any compensation, and with limitations on those damages that would not exist for those opting out of the class action settlement to pursue an individual claim for instead all of the the compensation they deserve. Stern Law is now active in the Super Duty rollover matter due to our experience in litigating with Ford Motor Company but also because we are fully committed to righting a wrong and holding Ford fully accountable for anyone injured in this matter.
For more information about starting a claim for a Super Duty rollover injury, please click here or call (844) 808-7529.
