January 6, 2003 - Ford Explorer Rollover Lawsuit Settlement: Ford, Bridgestone Settle Faulty Tire Lawsuit
A settlement has been reached in a California lawsuit filed against Ford Motor Company and Bridgestone/Firestone over faulty tires on a woman's Ford Explorer. In May 1999, Dolores Castro suffered a broken neck and brain damage when her Explorer rolled over on a Los Angeles highway after tread allegedly separated from a tire. The undisclosed settlement was reached as a civil trial was set to begin in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Combining the rollover tendency of the Explorer with defective Firestone tires has resulted in over 271 deaths and countless serious injuries. When an Explorer traveling on a defective Firestone tire experiences a blowout, the Explorer's questionable design often results in a rollover.
