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East Texas Family, Fort Worth Woman File Suit Over Firestone Failures

18 September 2000

East Texas Family, Fort Worth Woman File Suit Over Firestone Tire Failures

    DALLAS, Sept. 15 The Law Office of Frank L. Branson, P.C.,
has filed suit on behalf of two East Texas families, and filed a temporary
restraining order on behalf of a Fort Worth woman, all of whom were injured
while riding in sports utility vehicles equipped with Bridgestone/Firestone
tires.
    Frank L. Branson, George "Tex" Quesada and Paul M. Lynch are representing
the Hill and Manning families of Marshall, Texas, and Tyler Karbo of Fort
Worth.
    Six members of the Hill and Manning families were injured in October 1998
when a Bridgestone/Firestone tire blew out on the Ford Explorer the Hill
family was test driving, causing it to roll over.  The accident occurred on
Interstate 20 near Marshall.  The vehicle was owned by Nehls Chevrolet, Olds,
Cadillac, and the dealer is named as a defendant in the suit.
    Two family members received brain injuries as a result of the roll over,
one person broke a shoulder and other family members broke ribs and wrists.
    Ms. Karbo was a passenger in a Mercury Mountaineer in June 2000 when the
tread on the Firestone Wilderness AT tires separated, causing the sports
utility vehicle to roll over and plunge down a highway embankment.  She has
filed a temporary restraining order seeking access to the tire and vehicle in
question.
    "This is exactly the sort of tragedy that could have and should have been
prevented," Mr. Branson said.  "These tires should have been recalled in a
timely manner.  This is another example of a corporation putting profit over
safety and needlessly endangering the lives and welfare of the motoring
public."
    The Hill-Manning suit was filed in 71st District Court of Harrison County.
The restraining order in the Karbo case was filed in 150th District Court in
Bexar County.
    More than 6.5 million Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tires, mostly
on Ford Explorers, were recalled after the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration began investigating reports of deaths and injuries as a result
of auto crashes and rollovers connected to blow outs and tread separations.