Ford is planning to appeal a $2.5 billion verdict issued by a Georgia jury in a lawsuit over the roof strength of its 1999-2016 Super Duty trucks. The automaker argues that the decision is extreme and unsupported by evidence, maintaining that the roofs met federal safety standards when the vehicles were produced. Ford also notes that it has since strengthened the roofs and continues to defend itself in related cases.
The Georgia verdict, the largest in the state’s history, stems from a 2022 crash involving a 2015 Ford Super Duty that struck a drainage culvert, went airborne, and landed on its roof, resulting in the deaths of both occupants. The case is one of several alleging that the trucks’ roofs fail to provide adequate protection in rollover accidents. In Michigan, Ford is seeking to dismiss a separate case, arguing that none of the plaintiffs were involved in crashes where the roof collapsed.
