February 24, 2003
After a federal judge said its conduct "almost borders on criminal," Ford late last week settled a lawsuit involving the deaths of two passengers killed when a Ford E350 van flipped over on a Kentucky highway in 1996. The case had been scheduled to go to trial today (Monday) in Chicago.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Ford faces numerous other lawsuits resulting from rollovers and other accidents involving the 15-passenger vans. The federal government is also investigating the safety of the Ford vans as well as other 15-passenger vans (story).
Attorney James Lowe of Cleveland, representing the victims, had demand that Ford turn over records of safety tests it had conducted on the vans but Ford denied it had any such data. Lowe claimed the company was deliberately concealing evidence showing the large vans, commonly used by schools and churches, are prone to roll over.
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman of Chicago ordered the company to turn over the safety records and gave Ford attorneys a tongue-lashing when they repeated the claim that no such records existed.
"I don't want to believe lawyers would come and risk their licenses and livelihoods and professional reputations by making false statements to a court ... it almost borders on criminal," Gettleman said.
The company agreed to a settlement a short time later.
Ford issued a statement denying any attempts to conceal or withhold information and repeated its contention that the van is safe.
The company noted that the 1996 accident occurred when the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Thirteen passengers were aboard at the time.
