A federal jury ruled against the automobile manufacturer Ford in favor of the plaintiffs for the second time in recent months in late December. They decided that the automaking giant should have to pay the maximum penalties to victims for intentionally violating consumer protection laws when they rendered their decisions in both cases.
In one case, a husband and wife argued that they discontinued making payments on their 2014 Ford Focus after they stopped using the vehicle. They quit driving it because they felt that it was unsafe. In court filings, the pair outlined how the vehicle’s PowerShift transmission experienced constant problems including unexpectedly losing power, shaking and surging. That couple ultimately recovered $23,000, an amount which equals three times what they originally leased the vehicle for, to cover the hassles they endured with the vehicle.
Another plaintiff also won a civil lawsuit against Ford for $65,000 earlier this year. This amount equates to three times what the man owed on his automobile’s lease. Their vehicle had similar transmission problems to the other litigant’s car.
In both cases, the plaintiffs accused Ford of having voluntarily violated the law. Attorneys amassed evidence showing that the automaker was well aware that some of its vehicles had defective transmissions long before the cars were leased or sold to consumers. They also produced evidence that showed that they purposely neglected to adequately repair these vehicles. The plaintiffs argued that this defect put the owners’ safety at risk and resulted in a decrease in the value of their cars.
Many automobile manufacturers take their time to design, test and produce their vehicles to maintain the integrity of their brand and to ensure that their customers receive the best possible vehicle. Some manufacturers are more concerned with meeting or exceeding their bottom line, though, that they hastily rush cars to market or fail to recall them when a defect is discovered.
Don’t settle for a lemon- protect your rights. An attorney here in Charleston can help you if you have ended up purchasing a car in West Virginia that hasn’t lived up to your expectations.
