It’s a slogan you’ve probably heard countless times through the years in TV ads – “Built Ford Tough.” But plaintiffs in lawsuits against the huge automaker strongly disagree – at least when it comes to Super Duty pickup trucks made from 1999-2016.
Ford Super Duty roof lawsuit plaintiffs allege the company sold more than 5 million units with full knowledge that the roof of the model was weak. They say the roof can collapse during a rollover accident, resulting in severe injuries and deaths.
A Florida product liability attorney with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath may be able to help if you owned a Super Duty and were badly hurt or lost a loved one due to a roof issue. You can contact us online or call (561) 655-1990 for a free consultation. We have an extensive amount of experience in these kinds of cases, and we’re ready to put that knowledge to use for your benefit.
A brief history of Ford trucks
Ford pickup trucks have been a huge success for more than 100 years. The incredibly popular F series comes from the original Model TT, which hit the market in 1917.
Ford started using the “Super Duty” name in 1958, but the first distinct line of Super Duty trucks didn’t come out until 40 years later. The name refers to the truck’s more powerful engine.
The company introduced the F-150 line in 1975, which would soon supplant the F-100 in popularity. Ford eventually phased out the F-100 model in 1983.
Best-selling vehicle since 1981
Not only has the F-Series become the best-selling line of pickups in the U.S. since 1977, but it has also been the best-selling vehicle of any kind in our country since 1981. The F-Series generates an estimated $41 billion for Ford every year – more than what the Nike or Coke brands bring in as a whole. Ford has built more than 40 million F-Series models.
A terrible tragedy paves the way for Super Duty roof lawsuits
In August of 2022, a Georgia jury awarded the children of Melvin and Voncile Hill $1.7 billion in punitive damages stemming from a 2014 accident that cost the couple their lives. The plaintiffs claimed that the Hills’ Super Duty rolled over after a tire blew out, and the victims died because they were crushed under the collapsed roof.
If that roof had been properly designed, the plaintiffs allege, the couple would have lived through the crash.
As a result of the Ford Super Duty roof lawsuit, the jury awarded $24 million in compensatory damages. Ford was responsible for $16.8 million, or 70%. They found that Pep Boys, the company that fit the tires to the truck, was liable for the other 30% ($7.2 million).
How could this happen?
Plaintiffs in other lawsuits against Ford say the automaker repeatedly weakened the materials used in the construction of the Super Duty to save money. For example, they claim Ford took out many components that would strengthen the roof.
They also claim the company chose to use weaker steel in critical components, making the roof weaker. Plaintiffs claim Ford moved from Boron, a higher-strength steel, to a milder material more prone to collapsing. They say Ford did this without testing to see how the changes would affect the Super Duty in the event of a rollover.
Has Ford made changes?
Plaintiffs’ attorneys say that Ford redesigned the Super Duty roof in 2017, yet failed to acknowledge the problems associated with models manufactured between 1999-2016. Ford and other automakers have actually faced many lawsuits in recent years involving roof strength. Several plaintiffs have won significant financial payouts.
What’s the current status of the lawsuits?
Plaintiffs across the U.S. and Canada filed lawsuits against Ford for roof collapse injury and deaths in the wake of the Hill verdict. In April 2023, Judge F. Kay Behm of the Eastern District Court of Michigan consolidated several of them into a single Ford Super Duty roof lawsuit.
This is an example of a class action lawsuit. It’s a form of legal action involving several different plaintiffs who have similar complaints against the same defendant. Consolidation is a way of streamlining the process. Instead of having multiple suits over the same issue, these actions are grouped into a single case.
Want to learn more about Ford Super Duty roof lawsuits? Call us.
If you believe you have grounds to join the Ford Super Duty roof lawsuit, or you would like to learn more, please get in touch with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath as soon as you can. Contact us online or give us a call at (561) 655-1990 for a free evaluation of your case. We’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
