Settlement Reached in Defective Tires Case

By Erik Ricasa

Published on July 22, 2005

Ronnie Stone, 52, filed the suit in 2003 on behalf of her late husband, Howard, and their sons. The accident occurred in July 2001 when, according to the lawsuit, the tire tread on the couple's Ford Aerostar separated, causing the van to roll over.

The tire, a Dayton Quadra SE, is a brand manufactured by Bridgestone/Firestone. The accident occurred less than a year after the company recalled 6.5 million tires due to reports of tread separation causing rollovers. The Dayton Quadra SE was not one of the recalled models.

The lawsuit accused Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford of making defective products, and several other companies were also named as defendants in the original lawsuit.

A representative for Bridgestone/Firestone stated that the company decided to settle to avoid the cost of continued litigation. The judge in the case sealed terms of the settlement.

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