Felipe v. Ford

Summary

Automotive product liability based on seat belt-wearing plaintiff who suffered broken neck and paralyzation after vehicle roof was crushed in 1993 Ford Aerostar rollover accident.

On August 3, 2002, the Ford Aerostar suffered a tire blowout while traveling approximately 65 mph on I-75, and the vehicle rolled over, and broke the 17-year old plaintiff's neck (burst fracture) at C-5, leaving him paralyzed.

The plaintiff was seated in the front passenger seat, and wearing a seat belt. The non-belted occupants were not seriously injured in the crash. The plaintiff asserted that the failure of the Ford's safety restraint system and the Ford's roof protection system caused the plaintiff's injuries.

According to the plaintiff, Ford's engineers knew in 1968 that shoulder belts would leave passengers at greater risk of injury in a rollover accident unless the roof strength were twice the weight of the vehicle. Nonetheless, Ford characterized the Aerostar's seat safety as "one of the most effective protection devices in existence."

The jury found that the Aerostar's roof (but not the seat belt) was defective, and awarded a total damages of $6 million, but did not award punitive damages.

Outcome

Plaintiff's verdict for $6 million.

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Felipe, Julian
Defense: Ford Motor Co Inc
Verdict: $6,000,000

Judge: Gerard Lynch
Jurisdiction: 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Judicial Complex

Case Number: CACE04003860
Industry: Automotive
Practice Area: Products Liability

Plaintiff

Felipe, Julian

Defense

Ford Motor Co Inc

Represented By:
Puentes-Leon, Angela
Schiferl, Kevin (Frost Brown Todd LLC (Indianapolis))
Cesarano, Gregory (Carlton Fields)

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney
00:00:05	General Case Activities
00:07:50	Opening Statement	Gonzalez, Ervin
01:15:05	Break
01:46:05	Opening Statement	Schiferl, Kevin
02:50:05	General Case Activities

JUN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:01	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Felipe, Mrs. Mirtha	In Person
00:21:54	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Felipe, Mrs. Mirtha	In Person
00:50:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Felipe, Mrs. Mirtha	In Person
01:09:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Caldwell, Mr. Robert J. PE	In Person
02:29:00	Break

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:10	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Caldwell, Mr. Robert J. PE	In Person
00:08:00	General Case Activities
00:09:00	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Caldwell, Mr. Robert J. PE	In Person
00:58:30	General Case Activities
01:19:15	Break
01:43:15	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Mann, Eric	Video Recording
02:04:15	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Papp, Lucy	Video Recording
02:27:15	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Felipe, Joanne	In Person
02:51:15	Witness Cross Examination	Puentes-Leon, Angela	Felipe, Joanne	In Person
02:58:51	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Felipe, Joanne	In Person
02:59:15	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Howell, Dr. Roger A. DO	Video Recording
03:31:15	End of Session

JUN

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:01:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Bower, Mr. Matthew	In Person
00:25:00	Witness Cross Examination	Puentes-Leon, Angela	Bower, Mr. Matthew	In Person
00:58:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
01:25:00	Break
01:56:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
02:47:00	Break

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:02:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
00:21:00	General Case Activities
00:29:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
01:21:00	Break
01:51:00	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
03:14:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Burton, Dr. Joseph L. MD	In Person
03:20:00	End of Session

JUN

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

3 Chapters

JUN

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

AM Session

Not in Session

0 Chapters

JUL

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:02	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
00:50:17	Break
01:29:17	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:54:17	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
02:09:17	General Case Activities
02:11:17	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
02:37:17	Break
03:02:17	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
03:06:17	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

JUL

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:19	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
00:39:10	Break
01:09:10	General Case Activities		Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:11:10	Break
01:31:10	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
02:29:10	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
02:32:10	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:18:00	Break
01:41:00	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
02:13:00	Break

JUL

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:19	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
01:33:00	Break
02:44:40	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
03:15:00	General Case Activities
03:17:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
03:33:00	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

JUL

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

17 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:05	Break
00:08:10	General Case Activities
00:14:16	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
00:16:16	General Case Activities	Gonzalez, Ervin
00:33:16	General Case Activities	Gonzalez, Ervin
00:34:16	General Case Activities	Schiferl, Kevin
00:35:16	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Hancock, Patrick	In Person
00:40:16	Witness Cross Examination	Cesarano, Gregory	Hancock, Patrick	In Person
00:42:16	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Forman, Dr. Lawrence	In Person
01:19:16	Break
01:47:16	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Forman, Dr. Lawrence	In Person
01:55:16	Witness Cross Examination	Cesarano, Gregory	Forman, Dr. Lawrence	In Person
02:22:16	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Raffa, Dr. Frederick PhD	In Person
02:59:16	Witness Cross Examination	Cesarano, Gregory	Raffa, Dr. Frederick PhD	In Person
03:18:16	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Raffa, Dr. Frederick PhD	In Person
03:21:16	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:28	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
00:52:00	Break
01:12:00	Witness Cross Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Bihlmeyer, Mr. Larry	In Person
02:28:00	Break

JUL

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:40	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Banovac, Dr. Kresimir MD, PhD	Video Depo
01:10:00	Break
01:25:00	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Felipe, Joyce	In Person
01:55:05	Witness Cross Examination	Puentes-Leon, Angela	Felipe, Joyce	In Person
02:01:41	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Felipe, Joyce	In Person
02:04:44	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Rivera, Mr. Ruben	In Person
02:34:44	Witness Cross Examination	Puentes-Leon, Angela	Rivera, Mr. Ruben	In Person
02:39:14	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Rivera, Mr. Ruben	In Person
02:50:55	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:39	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Terrabrosa, Anabel	In Person
00:58:52	Break
01:19:52	Witness Cross Examination	Cesarano, Gregory	Terrabrosa, Anabel	In Person
01:26:52	General Case Activities
01:28:57	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Levi, Dr. Allan	Video Depo
02:34:52	Witness Cross Examination	Cesarano, Gregory	Levi, Dr. Allan	Video Conference
02:39:05	Break

JUL

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:35	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Marth, Debra	In Person
01:10:58	Break
01:27:58	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Marth, Debra	In Person
01:38:58	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Marth, Debra	In Person
02:33:58	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Marth, Debra	In Person
02:39:58	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Marth, Debra	In Person
02:43:58	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:12	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Felipe, Juilian	In Person
00:53:25	General Case Activities
00:54:25	Break
01:19:25	Witness Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Felipe, Juilian	In Person
01:29:25	Witness Cross Examination	Puentes-Leon, Angela	Felipe, Juilian	In Person
02:08:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Felipe, Juilian	In Person
02:41:25	Break

JUL

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

10 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:52	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
00:33:00	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
01:00:00	General Case Activities
01:04:00	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
01:21:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
01:28:00	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
01:32:00	Break
02:10:34	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Darolv, Alfred	In Person
02:47:00	General Case Activities
02:55:00	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:01:41	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Maulden, Mr.	In Person
00:28:32	Witness Cross Examination	Gander, Deborah	Maulden, Mr.	In Person
00:46:07	Break
01:08:12	Witness Cross Examination	Gander, Deborah	Maulden, Mr.	In Person
01:11:17	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Maulden, Mr.	In Person
01:13:11	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Pearson, Jeffery	In Person
02:14:37	Break

JUL

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

9 Chapters

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

3 Chapters

JUL

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:25	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:08:10	Break
01:38:13	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:54:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:03:46	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:06:48	End of Session

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:31	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Caulfield, Dr. Edward M. PhD, PE	In Person
00:41:21	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Caulfield, Dr. Edward M. PhD, PE	In Person
00:50:50	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:10:38	Break
01:48:59	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Piziali, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:08:19	General Case Activities
02:46:43	Break

JUL

PM Session

Closings

5 Chapters

JUL

AM Session

Verdict

3 Chapters

JUL

Felipe v. Ford

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
-2:39:30	General Case Activities	Schiferl, Kevin
-1:22:30	Break
00:00:18	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Salagan, John	Video Recording

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:09	General Case Activities
00:02:09	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
00:32:09	General Case Activities
00:35:09	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:11:09	Break
01:35:09	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:40:09	General Case Activities
01:44:09	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
01:49:09	General Case Activities
01:56:09	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:20	General Case Activities
00:01:43	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
00:30:43	General Case Activities
00:32:43	Witness Direct Examination	Gander, Deborah	Nash, Dr. Karl	In Person
00:45:43	General Case Activities
00:59:13	Break

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:13	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Darolv, Alfred	In Person
00:20:09	General Case Activities
00:26:56	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Darolv, Alfred	In Person
00:36:10	General Case Activities
01:10:43	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Darolv, Alfred	In Person
01:14:57	Break
01:49:16	Witness Direct Examination	Schiferl, Kevin	Caulfield, Dr. Edward M. PhD, PE	In Person
02:05:23	General Case Activities
02:45:45	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:37:15	Witness Cross Examination	Gonzalez, Ervin	Darolv, Alfred	In Person
01:08:00	General Case Activities
02:40:00	Break

	Description	Attorney
00:00:08	Closing Statement	Gonzalez, Ervin
01:09:58	Break
01:29:46	Closing Statement	Schiferl, Kevin
02:28:58	General Case Activities	Gonzalez, Ervin
02:36:46	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:13	General Case Activities
		01:52:32	General Case Activities
		02:00:08	End of Session