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Hurried lawsuit filed against Ford because of pending legislation
Saturday, May 31, 2003
By Associated Press
FRANKLIN, Texas -- A fatal accident involving a Central Texas high school van has spawned a lawsuit against Ford Motor Co., the maker of Hankook tires and an auto dealership.
The lawsuit was filed in a Robertson County state district court Thursday, less than three weeks after the May 9 accident that killed a Hearne High School senior and injured 10 others.
The suit alleges defects in the design and manufacture of both the van and its tires, plaintiffs' attorney Robert Waltman told Bryan-College Station television station KBTX.
Attorneys hurried the lawsuit because of tort-reform legislation pending in the Texas Legislature, Waltman said.
Members of the Hearne High School Hispanic Society were returning from a school-sponsored trip to Astroworld in Houston in a school bus and a 15-passenger Ford van when the van overturned.
The lawsuit lists seven of the 11 people in the van as plaintiffs. They include the parents of Jennifer Marie Rocha, who died from injuries suffered in the accident.
Another plaintiff is Jeanette Moody, a secretary in the high school principal's office, whose left arm was amputated as a result of her injuries.
According the lawsuit, the van was "unreasonably dangerous" at the time of the sale because of its use of single rather than dual wheels, excessively short wheelbase and high center of gravity, and failure to use laminated safety glass for side windows.
The lawsuit seeks "the maximum amount of exemplary damages allowed by law." It alleges the van crashed after its right rear tire "suddenly and catastrophically came apart" as it traveled on U.S. 290 in northwest Harris County.
Ford said in a statement that it believes the 15-passenger van "is a very safe vehicle." Spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes said Friday, however, she had not seen the Texas lawsuit and could not specifically comment on it.
Hearne is about 110 miles northwest of Houston.
__________________
Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid. 
My next Ford.....
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