Sasser v. Ford Motor Company
Mar 04, 2004OUTCOME: $47.7 million jury verdict
On June 15, 2000, Kelsey Sasser, age 6, was riding in the rear center seat of her mother’s 2000 Lincoln LS sedan. The rear seats were equipped with special latches permitting them to fold down to provi ... de extra cargo space and access to the trunk. The car was involved in a frontal collision and Kelsey Sasser’s seat collapsed on her, causing spinal injuries. Kelsey is now paralyzed from the chest down and will require assisted care for the remainder of her life. Harris Lowry Manton (HLM) LLP's Jeffrey R. Harris worked with Kelsey’s mother to sue the manufacturer of the car, on Kelsey’s behalf, alleging that the seat collapsed as a result of a defective seat back latch. The plaintiffs also sought punitive damages, asserting that Ford knew about design problems with the latch as early as 1993. The company changed the design on its 2001 LS models but failed to recall the 2000 sedan. In this case, Harris secured combined compensatory and punitive damages against Ford totaling $47.7 million.