Beatty v. Ford Motor Company

On June 9, 1998, appellant and plaintiff below Lincoln L. Beatty was operating a 1996 van manufactured by the appellee and defendant below, Ford Motor Company ("Ford"). While driving the van on an interstate highway, the appellant lost control. The van veered off to the right, struck a guardrail, then crossed the highway and struck a guardrail on the left side of the highway. The van apparently went airborne and landed on top of the left guardrail, and slid some distance. The van ultimately came to rest on top of the guardrail, with three wheels suspended in the air. The appellant asserts that he was injured in the collision.

The appellant stated that he was driving the van at approximately 40 miles per hour when he heard a "metal to metal" noise, and then immediately lost control of the ability to steer the van. He contends that the steering wheel spun through a 3/4 turn, and that the van did not "fishtail" on the highway but turned straight into the guardrail.

The appellant exited the van and discovered that the "drag link," a mechanism which controls the steering of the vehicle, was severely damaged. He contends that the drag link broke due to some inherent manufacturing or design defect by appellee Ford.

Appellee Ford, however, contends that other factors were involved in the appellant's collision. The police accident report reflects that, at the time of the accident, it was raining and the roadway was wet. The police officer who investigated the accident concluded it was caused by the appellant's failure to maintain control of his vehicle and "slippery pavement." Two experts later employed by Ford concluded that the drag link was broken as a result of the impact forces during the accident, and was not a cause of the accident, and also concluded that the appellant's description of the accident and the supposed vehicle movements was inconsistent with the drag link malfunctioning.

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Affirmed for the Defendant.

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C.L.