Ford has agreed to compensate the daughter of an Arizona man who died when the driver of a Ford F350 truck had trouble steering, then crashed into the man’s SUV. The compensation concludes a lawsuit brought on the daughter’s behalf by Rob Ammons in which defects in the Ford F350’s braking system were cited as the reason for the man’s fatal injuries.
The man was riding in an SUV driven by his daughter when a 2003 Ford F350 approached in the other direction. When a front tire on the Ford F350 failed, the vehicle crossed the center line and struck the SUV head-on. Neither of the drivers did anything to contribute to the crash, according to the state trooper’s investigation.
The Ford F350 came equipped with a braking system, called Hydroboost, that caused the driver to lose control of the truck, Rob Ammons alleged. Ammons further alleged that because of the way the Hydroboost system is designed, when a driver slams on the brakes, oil flow to the power steering unit is reduced, making it difficult for drivers to steer.
The driver of the Ford told state troopers “he hit the brakes and tried to steer to the right, but the steering was unresponsive. … He said once his steering locked up, he was unable to alter the course of the pickup in any way,” according to the crash report.
An investigation by the federal government found that Hydroboost-equipped vehicles may pose a safety risk after testing of Hydroboost-equipped F series vehicles showed steering problems for drivers attempting to steer and brake in an emergency.
“Unfortunately, this type of case is not an isolated incident,” attorney Rob Ammons said. “Ford has chosen not to utilize safer alternatives to the Hydroboost system, a decision that has had devastating consequences for our firm’s clients.”
In this devastating crash, a teenager lost her father, after losing her mother just eight years prior. The compensation being provided to the man’s daughter is in response to her claims for the loss of his love, affection, companionship, care, protection and guidance he provided, and for the severe physical, mental, and emotional distress she has suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of his death.
The Ammons Law Firm successfully resolved similar cases involving Hydroboost-equipped vehicles for the family of a California man who died in a crash involving a Ford F-250, for an Oklahoma mother whose son died in a crash in a Ford Excursion, and for a Texas couple injured when their Ford F250 flipped over.
The Ammons Law Firm has a nationwide personal injury practice focusing on tire defects, truck accidents, rollovers, consumer protection and product liability, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, post-collision fires, seat belt defects, airbag defects, and plant explosions.
