$23.4 Million Judgement In Ford Accident Case

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -A jury has awarded a woman $23.4 million in a civil judgment against Ford Motor Co. for a 2007 freeway accident that left her a quadriplegic.

Cynthia Castillo lost control of her 1997 Ford Explorer when the tread separated from her left-rear tire as she drove on the freeway.

Her attorney Brian Brandt says the Explorer veered off the freeway and rolled three times down an embankment, leaving her legs and most of her body paralyzed. Brandt says flaws in the vehicle’s design causes it to lose control when the tire tread separates.

An attorney for Ford said the accident was caused by a worn-out tire.

On Thursday a jury returned with a unanimous verdict in Castillo’s favor.