Ford lawsuit verdict overview:
- Who: A federal jury awarded $2.5 billion in punitive damages to the family of a couple who died in a Ford Super Duty truck rollover accident.
- Why: The jury found the automaker liable for the couple’s deaths after the roof of their Ford F-250 caved in during a rollover crash.
- Where: The Ford wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Georgia federal court.
A federal jury in Georgia has awarded $2.5 billion in punitive damages to the family of a couple who died after their Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup truck rolled over during an accident.
The jury reached the punitive damages verdict a day after finding Ford Motor Co. partially liable for the wrongful deaths of Debra and Herman Mills, who died in 2022 when the roof of their truck caved in during a rollover crash, Law360 reports.
Ford was found 85% at fault for the couple’s deaths, which resulted from asphyxiation when the roof of their truck caved in.
The jury awarded the couple’s sons more than $30.5 million in compensatory damages, covering funeral expenses and attorney fees, for the Ford wrongful death lawsuit.
The family argued Ford has known for two decades that the roofs of Super Duty trucks built between 1999 and 2016 were dangerously weak and defective and, despite being sued more than 200 times over the issue, has refused to warn Ford owners about the alleged risks.
Ford plans to appeal $2.5B punitive damages verdict
Ford said in a statement that while the company’s sympathies go out to the family, “the verdict is impermissibly extreme and not supported by the evidence,” reports Law360.
“We plan to appeal,” Ford reportedly stated. “Juries in three prior cases have been asked the same question and determined that these vehicles are not defective.”
The fatal wreck occurred three days after a prior record-setting $1.7 billion punitive damages award was given to the family of another couple killed when the roof of their Super Duty pickup truck failed during a 2014 crash, Law360 reports.
A consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Ford and Camel Group (USA) Battery Inc. on Feb. 5 over claims certain Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Maverick vehicles were equipped with defective batteries.
What do you think of the jury’s $2.5 billion punitive damages verdict against Ford? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by James E. Butler Jr., Ramsey B. Prather, Daniel E. Philyaw and Allison B. Bailey of Butler Prather LLP, Larae Dixon Moore of Page Scrantom Sprouse Tucker & Ford P.C. and Frank M. Lowrey IV of Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP.
The Ford lawsuit verdict is Brogdon, et al. v. Ford Motor Co., Case No. 4:23-cv-00088, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
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14 thoughts onFord hit with $2.5B punitive verdict in Super Duty truck roof deaths
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Hmmmm. Interesting. I’ve owned my 2002 F250 since new. Of course I’ve never rolled it!