The Most Notorious Auto Defects in History Part 1: The Ford Pinto

The Ford Pinto is responsible for one of the most infamous auto industry scandals in US history. This once-popular subcompact car is also a terrifying example of what can happen to consumers when products contain deadly safety defects. Fuel tanks in these vehicles were prone to being punctured or rupturing during low-speed, rear-end collisions. Gasoline would leak underneath the vehicle and combust. An estimated 27 to 180 people were killed by fuel tank fires. Additional victims were disfigured from burn injuries.You may be wondering why a company would release a product that was prone to exploding during rear-end minor collisions. The story of the Ford Pinto is also a tale of corporate greed.During the late 1960s, Ford was desperate to compete with foreign manufacturers that were selling cheaper, smaller vehicles in the US. The Pinto was Ford’s answer to becoming competitive in this market. Ford executives wanted to get the Pinto onto the market as soon as possible. A 25-month delivery deadline was set.Ford initially discovered the fuel tank problem during low-speed, rear-end crash tests. Multiple tests resulted in fuel tank ruptures. There were two reasons why this kept happening. Engineers discovered that the fuel tanks could be punctured by bolts. The filler necks could also tear away from the fuel tanks. Both flaws caused fuel leaks and created a major fire hazard.However, there were several tests that did not result in fuel tank ruptures. Engineers had used various safety devices that protected the fuel tanks during those tests. An internal memo uncovered during a lawsuit against Ford showed that it had made a cruel calculation while deciding whether to apply fixes to the fuel tanks. According to this memo, Ford calculated that it would have cost $113 million to delay production and apply the fixes, but only $49 million to pay damages from lawsuits filed by victims.Ford did eventually issue a recall for 1971-1976 Pintos in 1978. By the time the recall was announced, countless people had their lives ended or destroyed. In one case, a 13-year-old boy suffered severe burns and disfigurement. Three teenage girls in Indiana burned alive while riding in a Ford Pinto.More than 100 lawsuits were filed against Ford by crash survivors and their families. We will never know the damages Ford paid victims because many of the cases were settled out-of-court. However, the damage to Ford’s reputation at the time was substantial. Even decades after its release, many people still remember the infamous Ford Pinto.

Injured by a Defective Auto Product?

You can contact the Texas product liability lawyers at Mike Love & Associates, LLC for a free consultation if you or a loved one were injured by a defective auto product. Our attorneys can review your situation and inform you of available legal options to pursue damages.

Beware of Dog: Not All Dogs are Man’s Best Friend

In 2014, KFC was accused of asking the family of a disfigured 3-year-old girl to leave the restaurant. Three months prior to this incident, the girl had been attacked by three Pit Bulls while visiting her grandfather. Although the girl survived the attack, she lost sight in one eye and can no longer move the right side of her face. Her parents described how she could no longer look at herself in the mirror and did not want to be seen in public. This story is an example of how dog attacks can leave victims physically and emotionally scarred.Dog attacks are common in the US. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, 800,000 people in the US receive medical attention for dog bites each year. Statistics published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that during 2015, more than 28,000 people in the US required reconstructive surgery after being attacked by dogs. Children are more likely to suffer severe injuries, such as disfigurement, after an attack.Even minor dog bites can cause severe health complications. Centers of Disease Control (CDC) statistics published in 2015 show that there is an average of 4.5 million dog bites in the US each year. Roughly one in five of these bites become infected. Although many of these bites result in minor infections, some bites transmit MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). MRSA infections are more difficult to treat because this type of bacteria is resistant to antibiotics.Attacks can also be fatal. Some organizations, such as Dogbites.org, keep a running tally of the yearly deaths caused by dog attacks.

Are Owners Responsible for Dog Bites?

Dog owners may be liable for injuries or deaths caused by their pets. It would depend on the circumstances.In Texas, a dog owner may be liable for an attack if he or she knew the dog was dangerous and it attacks someone. For example, the owner may have been aware that the dog had a history of aggressive tendencies. The owner may also be liable if they do not properly restrain the dog and it attacks someone. In these cases, it may be possible for victims or their family members to file lawsuits for damages.The type of breed is an important factor for determining damages during a dog bite lawsuit. Although there are certainly many Pit Bull fans in the US, these dogs are more physically capable of causing significant harm to a person than smaller dogs, such as a Pomeranian.If you or a loved one were attacked, then an attorney could help determine whether the owner is liable. There are nuances to dog bite statutes in Texas, so it is important to discuss your situation with an experienced personal injury attorney. Damages from a dog bite lawsuit could help pay for medical bills, reconstructive surgery or funeral expenses. Pain and suffering damages, also called noneconomic damages, may be included in cases that involve disfigurement or psychological trauma.If you or a loved one were attacked by a dog, the Texas personal injury lawyers at Mike Love & Associates, LLC can investigate your eligibility for filing a lawsuit.

The Top Five Safety Threats to Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween

Halloween is supposed to be a fun holiday for children and their parents, but it can also end in tragedy. We have all heard stories of poisoned candy or treats containing razor blades, but the real threats on Halloween come from defective costumes, motor vehicles and other unforeseen hazards. Safe Kids Worldwide, a child safety organization, claims that only one-third of parents talk to their children about Halloween safety concerns. We hope that informing you on the following hazards can help you have a safe and fun Halloween.

1. Motorists: Drivers are the most dangerous and common hazard on Halloween. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, the number of fatal pedestrian accidents involving children increase twofold on this holiday. On Halloween, there is an increased number of drunk drivers on the road. Speeding and distracted driving could also increase the risk of an accident.
2. Dangerous or defective costumes: Some costumes can increase the risk of an accident because they contain design or manufacturing defects. For example, a costume could be made with highly flammable materials. A costume could also be designed in a way that limits a child’s visibility or increases the risk of tripping and falling. Makeup products for costumes can cause severe allergic reactions in some cases.
3. Unsafe Halloween decorations: Certain types of Halloween decorations (or the way they are set up) may cause trick-or-treaters to slip and fall. Decorations may also cause fires. For example, costumes worn by trick-or-treaters could come into contact with candles in pumpkins or other sources of fire. Halloween lights can create electrical hazards, especially near sources of water.
4. Dog bite injuries: Property owners may fail to keep their dogs away from trick-or-treaters. In some cases, dogs may frighten or even attack trick-or-treaters they perceive as intruders. Dog bites are a possible hazard on Halloween.
5. Unsafe properties: Properties may contain other hazards, such as poor lighting and broken stairwells. Trick-or-treaters can trip over objects left on lawns or walkways. These hazards can increase the risk of a slip and fall accident.

What if My Child is Injured While Trick or Treating?

Accidents can happen even in cases where parents have done everything right to keep their trick-or-treaters safe. If your child was injured while trick or treating and you believe the negligent actions of other people are to blame, then you should speak with a Texas personal injury attorney at our firm. We can help you discover if you have legal options to hold those individuals accountable.

Can Apple’s Smartphone App Prevent the Temptation to Text and Drive?

Motorists who are using their mobile phones while driving are responsible for thousands of accidents each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) statistics suggest that mobile phone use while driving was responsible for 3,477 deaths during 2015. Apple’s recent iOS 11 update came with a new app that seeks to reduce deaths and injuries caused by mobile phone use while driving.The Do Not Disturb While Driving app was designed to prevent the temptation to use an iPhone behind the wheel. The app can detect when you are driving and disable most features on your iPhone until you come to a stop. If you do receive a text message, the sender will receive an automated reply that warns them you are driving. You can alter the settings to allow messages from certain people. People who are texting you can also type “urgent” in the message to bypass the settings.Do Not Disturb While Driving has flexible user options. There is more than one way to use the app. You can set the app to turn on automatically. This will cause the app to lock your phone once it detects you are driving. In addition, you can manually turn the app off and on. Finally, you can use the app with your vehicle’s Bluetooth. In this case, the app will still lock you out of most features but will allow you to take handsfree calls. If you are a parent with children who drive, you can keep your teenagers from turning off or modifying the app’s settings. You will need to go to your iPhone’s settings and change the restrictions for the app.The idea behind this app is quite simple. If you never receive a text message, then you cannot be tempted to answer. The temptation could also be less severe if you are unable to access your phone while driving.

What if I Have an Android Phone?

There are also anti-distracted driving apps for Android users. You could download Samsung’s In-Traffic Reply app. This app can also detect when you are driving and send automated message. AT&T’s DriveMode app (which is for both Android and iOS) can silence text messages and phone calls. It can also send automatic replies to people who are trying to call or send you text messages.Even though these apps are readily accessible to millions, there will still be thousands of distracted driving deaths each year. If you or a loved one were harmed by a distracted driver, then you may be able to hold them accountable for damages.The Texas distracted driving accident attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC encourage safe driving. For future updates on driving safety, continue following our blog.