Montgomery Advertiser, "Wal-Mart to pay $4 million in tire suit"

          Wal-Mart will pay a $4 million judgment to Carolyn Thorne in a lawsuit stemming from a tire failure three years go that caused a wreck and left the local woman paralyzed from her injuries. Thorne was paralyzed in a one-vehicle accident on April 24, 2004, when the tread on the left rear tire of her Ford Expedition separated, causing the SUV to flip into the median on I-85.
          The jury awarded Thorne $2 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages after Wal-Mart failed to settle the case, according to Greg Allen, who helped represent Thorne for the Beasley Allen law firm. Wal-Mart will not appeal the verdict but will pay the judgment, according to spokesman John Simley. "We disagree with the decision, but we will respect it," he said.
         Thorne settled with tire manufacturer Continental Tire, Sonic Automotive/Friendly Ford and with Ford Motor Co. prior to trial. Allen said those settlements are confidential, but the jury heard the amounts prior to reaching its verdict. Wal-Mart's counsel tried to argue that the company was not responsible for Thorne's tire failure since it did not sell or install the tires. Thorne argued that since she regularly had her SUV serviced at Wal-Mart, which included tire checks, that the retailer had some responsibility in the case.