Illinois
While travelling on Interstate 94 in Chicago, I accelerated to change lanes. Not only did the acceleration device in my 1988 Grand Marquis stick, it increased speed. My daughter was sitting in the front seat next to me. With both feet on the brakes, I could not stop or hardly slow the car. I could smell burning rubber and the engine was shaking.
We rear ended and totalled a Jeep Cheroke waiting for the red light on the exit ramp. We then veered and smashed and totalled our car into a cement reataining wall. I estimate our speed at the time of impact between 50-55 mph. It could have been much more.
When the ambulances arrived, my daughter and I were in such pain we could not turn to look at the vehicle we had struck. They took us away on boards and in neck braces. Later the woman we hit phoned me and said she was knocked unconcious. She had looked in her rear view mirror and saw us coming - said a quick -Please don't let me die- prayer. When she woke, her seat had broken free and her feet were near her head. She began yelling for her baby. The back of her Jeep was in her back seat. The rescure workers looked in the back where her baby usually sat. Thank God her child was not with her that day.
The three of us suffered soft tissue damage, muscle damage, tailbone injuries but nothing cut or broken. We were given the conventional morphine & Vicodin because of the intense pain we were in, observed overnight and X-rayed left and right. They also drew blood to check if our hearts were bruised. When the ambulance chaser lawyer mistakenly phoned me thinking I was the "crashee", I learned our injuries were not sufficient enough for him to represent me against the Ford Motor Company. But he wanted to represent my daughter in sueing me. In reality, any one of us women could have been severely injured. And really, would you like to go for a ride like that because the company who made your vehicle wanted to save a couple bucks?
Since then I have researched on the Internet and found that Ford knows all about the faulty acceleration device in some of their cruise controlled cars. They originally used a more expensive part, then switched to the cheaper accident causing part, and now use a more expensive safer part. They had a recall for the ignition switch in my car but not the acceleration part.
This accident has a $50,000 price tag thus far. Not including the woman I hit is sueing my insurance company. This will be on my insurance record and what did I do? Buy a Ford.
I originally phoned the Ford Motor Company on October 7th and was told to keep the car in the pound as they might want to inspect it and someone would get back to me in 2-3 days. Nobody has gotten back to me and the car is scheduled for demolition. I have phoned Ford at least 5 times, sent at least 5 e-mails and 3 letters in the US Mails.
I have posted this accident on two different lawyer forums with no response. Can I represent myself against Ford? How do I do that? The really sad part is I know this accident is going to happen again to someone else and maybe the outcome will be worse. I can't just sit and do nothing. Any information appreciated. Roberta
While travelling on Interstate 94 in Chicago, I accelerated to change lanes. Not only did the acceleration device in my 1988 Grand Marquis stick, it increased speed. My daughter was sitting in the front seat next to me. With both feet on the brakes, I could not stop or hardly slow the car. I could smell burning rubber and the engine was shaking.
We rear ended and totalled a Jeep Cheroke waiting for the red light on the exit ramp. We then veered and smashed and totalled our car into a cement reataining wall. I estimate our speed at the time of impact between 50-55 mph. It could have been much more.
When the ambulances arrived, my daughter and I were in such pain we could not turn to look at the vehicle we had struck. They took us away on boards and in neck braces. Later the woman we hit phoned me and said she was knocked unconcious. She had looked in her rear view mirror and saw us coming - said a quick -Please don't let me die- prayer. When she woke, her seat had broken free and her feet were near her head. She began yelling for her baby. The back of her Jeep was in her back seat. The rescure workers looked in the back where her baby usually sat. Thank God her child was not with her that day.
The three of us suffered soft tissue damage, muscle damage, tailbone injuries but nothing cut or broken. We were given the conventional morphine & Vicodin because of the intense pain we were in, observed overnight and X-rayed left and right. They also drew blood to check if our hearts were bruised. When the ambulance chaser lawyer mistakenly phoned me thinking I was the "crashee", I learned our injuries were not sufficient enough for him to represent me against the Ford Motor Company. But he wanted to represent my daughter in sueing me. In reality, any one of us women could have been severely injured. And really, would you like to go for a ride like that because the company who made your vehicle wanted to save a couple bucks?
Since then I have researched on the Internet and found that Ford knows all about the faulty acceleration device in some of their cruise controlled cars. They originally used a more expensive part, then switched to the cheaper accident causing part, and now use a more expensive safer part. They had a recall for the ignition switch in my car but not the acceleration part.
This accident has a $50,000 price tag thus far. Not including the woman I hit is sueing my insurance company. This will be on my insurance record and what did I do? Buy a Ford.
I originally phoned the Ford Motor Company on October 7th and was told to keep the car in the pound as they might want to inspect it and someone would get back to me in 2-3 days. Nobody has gotten back to me and the car is scheduled for demolition. I have phoned Ford at least 5 times, sent at least 5 e-mails and 3 letters in the US Mails.
I have posted this accident on two different lawyer forums with no response. Can I represent myself against Ford? How do I do that? The really sad part is I know this accident is going to happen again to someone else and maybe the outcome will be worse. I can't just sit and do nothing. Any information appreciated. Roberta