Illinois Supreme Court Reverses Car Accident Lawsuit Decision

The Illinois Supreme Court has reversed an earlier jury decision regarding a $43 million product liability case against Ford Motor Company. While a 2005 court case concluded that Ford's Lincoln Town Car suffered from a dangerous design flaw, the Supreme Court judges disagreed.

In 2003, Dora Jablonski and her 73-year-old husband John Jablonski, were traveling on the highway when they stopped for road construction traffic. A distracted driver rear-ended their vehicle traveling between fifty and six miles per hour, causing an object in the trunk of their car to pierce the gas tank. A car fire resulted, killing John and severely burning Dora. In the wake of the deadly Illinois car accident, a jury rewarded Dora with $43 million, agreeing that Ford had been irresponsible by placing the gas tank of the car so near to the trunk.

This week, however, the Supreme Court reviewed the evidence during an appeal and sided with the automobile company: there was no solid evidence that the placement of the gas tank caused the car fire, and that the real cause of the crash was the distracted driver who struck their vehicle.

If you have been seriously injured in an Illinois car accident, there is a possibility that the poor design of your vehicle could have caused your accident or your injury. If you believe that a car company could be responsible for damages in your Illinois traffic accident, it is vital that you speak with an experienced, knowledgeable Illinois personal injury attorney today.