Ford Ordered to Pay $131 for Wrongful Death

In Mississippi, a jury verdict from the Jasper County Court has resulted in a $131 million verdict for a wrongful death lawsuit against Ford.  The recent verdict is the ninth largest against an automaker in United States history.

The money from the verdict will go to the family of Brian Cole, a man who lost his life while driving a vehicle manufactured by Ford in 2001.  A spokeswoman for Ford, Marcey Evans, said, "This was a tragic accident and our sympathy goes out to the Cole family for their loss, but it was unfair of them to blame Ford."

According to Evans, 27-year-old Brian Cole was speeding over 80 mph without a seatbelt when he traveled off a road while driving a Ford Explorer SUV.  As the vehicle overturned, he was thrown out.

However, Cole's family countered that Brian had been wearing a seatbelt, but the seatbelt was defective.  The family's lawyer, Tab Turner, said, "His belt was still buckled after the accident was over but he was thrown from the car."

Now, it has been reported that Ford reached an undisclosed settlement with the family after the jury announced its verdict.

If you are thinking about filing a wrongful death claim in the state of North Carolina, contact our law office to get assistance from a North Carolina personal injury attorney.