Grimshaw v Ford

Grimshaw was 13 when he was a passenger in a 1972 Pinto driven by a neighbor. The car stalled on Interstate 15 near San Bernardino on May 28, 1972, and was struck from behind by a car going 35 m.p.h.

The Pinto's fuel tank ruptured and the car was engulfed in flames. The driver was burned to death and her Grimshaw suffered 3rd degree burns over substantially all of his body. He underwent literally hundreds of surgeries. In 1978, a jury awarded Grimshaw $127.8 million. Testimony indicated Ford's own crash tests had shown the Pinto fuel tank -- located six inches from the bumper -- could explode on an impact of as little as 20 m.p.h., and that the hazard could have been corrected by the installation of a $10 device.

Evidence also included a confidential Ford memo saying the company could save $20.9 million by delaying installation of the device by four years. Ford officials had argued that the fuel-tank design was safe and met all federal standards. Federal authorities, however, persuaded the automaker to recall Pintos for modification soon after the Grimshaw case gained national attention.