A Greenville jury awarded $18 million in a lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. for a 1999 crash that killed Patricia Carter and paralyzed Sonya Watson, who was 17 at that time. The jury found that the company had a defective speed-control system in the 1995 Ford Explorer that crashed.
Sonya Watson got $15 million while $3 million was awarded to the estate of Patricia Carter.
"I don't think it will ever be a fair amount because I can't put a price on my legs," said Watson, who sat outside the courtroom in a motorized wheelchair. Watson's attorneys had argued that the SUV "took off" while she was driving down the interstate.
The lawsuits also had claimed Ford and TRW Vehicle Safety Systems had installed defective seat belts, but jurors rejected that argument.
Hi ,.My name is Cecilio Gardea ,.. I was in a accident in My dads F250 Ford sometime back. I was injured , a disc in my back and some of my ligmentes were damaged . My injuries were the cause of a effected seat belt . The thing is I can do anything until I get sometype of operation on my back . Thats what I was told by some lawyer here ,,right now I can't get any docters in my area to take me as their patient. I had to travel several miles into mexico so a doctor can see me . I was reading your story and its familiar to mine . If you can pass me some type of information I will be greatful . Thank you ,.... Despret in Texas