Appellate Court Affirms Jury Verdict Finding Ford Escort Defective

          The Court of Appeals of Tennessee at Knoxville upheld a Cumberland County trial court’s decision in Potter, et al. v. Ford Motor Company.
          In September 2002, while driving her 1997 Ford Escort, Betty Potter lost control of the vehicle at a speed of 35-40 mph resulting in a rear-end collision with a tree. The Escort’s seat back collapsed sending Potter sliding into the Escort’s rear seat back. Potter fractured her thoracic vertebrae, severed her spinal cord, and was left paralyzed from her chest down.
          At trial, Potter’s attorney introduced evidence that the Ford Escort was defective because the seat back could not withstand the force of a foreseeable collision. Experts testified that the Escort’s seat design was unable to absorb collision-force energy to prevent the seat from collapsing in an uncontrolled way. The jury agreed with Potter and returned a verdict finding Ford Motor Company 70% at fault, the jury awarded Potter $7 million for her injuries and future medical care.
          Ford Motor Company appealed the verdict. The appellate court ruled the evidence presented to the jury was sufficient to show the Escort was defective and denied Ford’s appeal.