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Attorneys of Record for
Taras Kick
C. Tab Turner
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SAFETYFORUM.COM: SEPT 10 -- Ford and Firestone knew of at least 35 deaths and 130 injuries associated with Firestone tire failures and rollovers before NHTSA launched its investigation of Firestone tire failures earlier this year, according to Little Rock, Arkansas safety attorney Tab Turner. Turner is Safetyforum.com's "Attorney of Record" for tires. Safetyforum.com analyzed information from 185 law suits and claims filed against Ford or Firestone between 1991, when the Ford Explorer and Firestone ATX tire combination were first introduced, and May 2000 when NHTSA opened its defect investigation. "Safetyforum.com's analysis revealed that Ford and Firestone knew of at least 35 deaths and 130 injuries associated with Firestone tire failures, and in most cases, Ford Explorer rollovers, before NHTSA even opened its investigation this Spring," Turner said. "This is information that doesn't need to be pried out of anybody's hand," Turner said, referring to Ford CEO Jacques Nasser's remark last week before a congressional committee when he claimed that Ford didn't know there was a problem until it pried the information out of Firestone's hands. "This data supports the proposition that the only prying that needs to be done is prying the truth out of both of these companies," Turner said. "These numbers reveal what Ford and Firestone knew and when they knew it, year-by-year, since the lethal combination of Ford's SUV and Firestone's tires were first sold." Turner said. "The deaths and injuries chronicled in these lawsuits are mute testimony to the tragedy that has gone unchecked because of Ford's and Firestone's silence." Federal law requires manufacturers to notify NHTSA as soon as they become aware of safety related problems. Ford introduced the Explorer in 1990, equipped with ATX radial tires that had been developed by Firestone to Ford's specifications. The first lawsuit alleging tire failure was filed in 1991. The toll of deaths and injuries mounted slowly until 1997 when they accelerated. By the end of 1997, lawsuits had been filed alleging a total of 13 deaths and 22 injuries. During 1998 the number escalated to at least 22 deaths and 69 injuries. Deaths, injuries and attendant lawsuits jumped again in 1999. By the end of that year, the total of deaths and injuries alleged in lawsuits had reached at least 35 deaths and 122 injuries. Lawsuits and claims during the early months of 2000 added another eight injuries to the toll. Information from 35 of the cases did not specify whether the cases involved deaths or injuries. It is not likely that a safety attorney would bring suit against a tire or vehicle manufacturer unless the losses included death or other serious injury, Turner noted. (09/10/00)
Safetyforum.com and its Attorneys of Record for Tires, Tab Turner and Taras Kick, are non-managing sponsors of the Tire Action Group. Safetyforum.com, Mr. Turner, Mr. Kick or any of its officers and affiliates are not responsible and cannot be held liable for the accuracy, completeness, authenticity, distribution, harm and damages caused by the use of the information contained in this site. Conditions of Use. IMPORTANT: Persons and entities appearing on this site do not necessarily imply that Safetyforum.com endorses, sponsors, affiliates or associates with such persons or entities. Use of recognizable images such as trademarks are in compliance with sections 107 through 118 of the Copyright Act (title 17, U.S. Code) or "fair use" doctrine for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
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