Ortiz v. Ford Motor Company
Use of tempered vs. laminated glass in motor vehicle. The plaintiff, the right front passenger in a 1998 Ford Expedition, sustained injuries and permanent damage to her right hand and tendons when the vehicle became involved in a three-vehicle accident. The plaintiff brought suit against Ford Motor Company, claiming damages in the amount of $500,000. The plaintiff alleged that the vehicle was defective because the manufacturer failed to utilize laminate glass in its side windows and instead used tempered glass. The plaintiff claimed that had the vehicle been equipped with laminate glass, she would not have sustained her significant hand injuries. The defense contended that plaintiff sustained the injury to her hand because her hand was actually holding onto the grab handle behind her head and was thus exposed to an open window during the accident sequence. In addition, the defense asserted that the use of tempered glass in side moveable windows was a safe and reasonable design. The defense stated that the plaintiff failed to prove that she would have sustained less of an injury had the vehicle been equipped with laminated side glass. After a week long trial, a jury returned a defense verdict in 2 hours.
