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The Bodiford Law Group
121 South Orange Ave. Suite 1150
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407-423-9728
Toll-free: 1-800-423-0160
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Bodiford Law Group Recent Auto Settlements
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| Auto accident leads to eye injury and UM recovery |
 A Cape Canaveral man was involved in a frontal impact auto collision caused by an adverse driver. As a result he experienced headaches and double vision. According to his physician he sustained an injury to the optic nerve. The adverse carrier claimed that there was no optic nerve injury and made a minimal settlement offer. Suit was filed and Howard G. Butler and Raymond Bodiford settled this claim with his UM insurance following mediation. |
| Actor injured in auto accident - jury verdict of $872,249 |
Actor Gregory Harrison was rear ended in an auto accident while he was stopped at a red light. Defense argued that Plaintiff’s long standing pre-existing cervical condition was the reason for his treatment and eventual surgery and that Harrison earned more money in the years following this collision. At trial, Raymond Bodiford and Howard Butler diffused the defense’s arguments and demonstrated the aggravation and significant loss of earnings capacity resulting from this collision. The jury returned a verdict of $872,249.46
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| Honda settles defective auto part claim resulting in death |
| Honda has agreed to a confidential settlement of a case involving a Honda Acura Integra. An oncoming motorist operating her vehicle on the wrong side of the road at 35 mph struck the Integra in an offset frontal collision, causing the front structure to give way and the steering column to intrude into the survivor space. The steering column struck the driver of the Integra in the chest, causing a cervical fracture which caused his death. Plaintiff claimed that the intrusion of the steering column was excessive. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Drunk driver rams into family; insurance company offers settlement |
| A Pinellas county family was returning from a holiday event and had stopped at a traffic light in on December 26, 2007 when they were hit from behind by an intoxicated driver. Following the at fault driver’s criminal conviction for felony Driving Under the Influence of alcohol, Laura Lee Shields was able to recover a confidential amount for the family’s neck, back, and facial injuries. |
| Auto accident brain injury results in $600K recovery |
| In this case, a 23 year old man suffered moderate brain damage after the van that he was a passenger in was struck from behind by a dump truck. The speed of the impact was less than 15 mph, but he was struck in the head by flying debris. Although the injured party was able to function in daily life, with some mild memory impairments, we obtained a settlement in the amount of $600,000.00 against the dump truck company. |
| Drivers airbag fails to deploy when the airbag sensor is knocked off in a Dodge Intrepid |
| At mediation, DaimlerChrysler agreed to settle a case involving a 1997 Dodge Intrepid. The airbag in the Intrepid failed to deploy when the vehicle was hit on the driver’s side by an at-fault driver. The impact was more of a side swipe but the driver’s sensor was knocked off in the collision. DaimlerChrysler, who had removed the black box, argued that the airbag system was damaged in a prior accident. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Ford Explorer rollover resulting in death yields large settlement |
| Ford has agreed to settle a rollover case involving a 1996 Ford Explorer. The Explorer rolled over, resulting in the ejection of three of the four occupants. Plaintiff alleged that the Explorer should never roll over based on the steering inputs only. The driver, who was killed, apparently fell asleep but the vehicle rolled over completely on the roadway surface. The three other occupants did survive, with incapacitating injuries. Ford argues that the occupants were not seat belted at the time of the accident. Raymond Bodiford and Todd Copeland represented the plaintiffs. We have found that not only the Ford Explorer rolls over in foreseeable emergency handling situations. Other SUVs do this as well! In 1995, we successfully handled an SUV rollover resulting in a multimillion dollar resolution/structured settlement for a 19 year old young man who was paralyzed. We continue to work on the Bronco II problem, which was the predecessor to the Explorer and Firestone problems |
| Poor maintenance by landlord results in serious burn injuries |
| A 30 year old mother of three was severely burned on her back and part of her face when the mobile home she rented had an electrical fire. At the time of the fire, she was outside the mobile home, but her baby was inside. Victoria rushed back into the mobile home into the fire in a desperate attempt to save the baby’s life. We quickly discovered that the fire was due to faulty maintenance by her landlord. Even though the insurance policy provided only $25,000.00 in coverage, we were able to settle the case with the landlord and insurance company for $250,000.00. The mother used her settlement to buy a new home in Lake County. |
| Defective seatbelt severs driver's liver |
| Mazda has reached a confidential settlement with the plaintiff in a wrongful death case involving a 1988 Mazda 626, which utilized an automatic passive two point restraint system. The plaintiff, who was not wearing his lapbelt, became drowsy while driving the Mazda, which drifted off the road and hit a tree. The driver died as a result of a lacerated liver caused by the seatbelt. Plaintiff alleged defective design of the seatbelt restraint system. After the Geier case, plaintiff amended the complaint to allege alternative designs that criticized the implementation of the seatbelt system and dropped the claim that a manual three point belt should have been used. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Negligent landlord results in serious dog bite to tenant |
| An Orange County woman living in an apartment complex was bit in the leg and dragged a distance by a Pit Bull dog owned by a neighbor in the complex. Although the lease did not allow for Pit Bull dogs in the residences, the owner kept one anyway. The landlord had been notified of the “aggressive dog” but failed to take any measures before the Plaintiff was bitten. As result of the bite, she required stitches and several reconstructive surgeries. The parties were able to reach a confidential settlement. |
| Ford Explorer Rollover results in death of mother of three |
| A mother and her three young children were traveling on Interstate 95 in North Carolina in a Ford Explorer when it suddenly rolled over along the roadway. Although the occupants had been properly seat belted, the mother passed away at the scene, leaving her three young children orphaned. The parties reached a settlement and the family set up trusts for the care of each of the three children, who currently live with their aunt and uncle in Central Florida. |
| Child's death results from poor welding by the manufacturer |
| A vehicle during a side collision came apart resulting in the death of a child. Our investigation has shown a poor welding method on unibody construction which means in foreseeable side impacts the front and rear half of the car can completely separate due to spot welding. This case is still underway. |
| 2009 Plaintiff verdict for UM coverage resulting from Auto Accident |
| A 62 year old grandfather- previously disabled due to a 1988 hip injury-was rear ended in 2005 by an uninsured drunk driver causing head, neck/shoulder injuries and aggravation of pre-existing depression and anxiety. It is important to note the victim in this case was retired therefore the verdict did not include a wage loss claim.A demand was made against the uninsured motorist carrier State Farm but they chose to offer only $75,000 of their $100,000 policy limits. Howard Butler filed suit and took the case to trial. State Farm argued that the plaintiff had only a 6th grade education, suffered a concussion with little or no sequelae and a myriad of pre-existing health and mental problems. They argued that his life was essentially unchanged. After a week and a half of evidence including testimony by experts in bioengineering, human tolerance, neuroradiology, neuropsychology, etc a jury rendered a verdict roughly 12.5 times SF's pre-suit offer ($958,000). A bad faith claim is currently being pursued. |
| Chrysler settles recalled auto part case after client is injured by defective steering column |
| Chrysler agreed to a confidential settlement of a case involving a defective steering column coupler on a 1995 Dodge Neon. This model vehicle was recalled by Chrysler after a lengthy battle with NHTSA. Plaintiff hit a depression in the road filled with water, thereby causing an impact to the Neon’s under carriage. Plaintiff suffered multi-disc herniations, which required fusion due to the cord compression, and had a broken hip which required iron rods to be replaced in his leg. Upon return from recovery in a nursing home, plaintiff found the recall notice in the mail. Chrysler contended that the force of the water was enough to cause decoupling. It turned out that the manufacturer had known about the problem for a few years but had fault failed to tell the public or do a recall in a timely fashion. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Missing airbag sensors in GM (Buick) vehicle result in death |
| General Motors confidentially settled an airbag case involving a 2002 Buick Century. The plaintiff had been driving the Century when it was rear ended by another vehicle. The black box download showed the driver was buckled and traveling 27 mph at impact. The airbag did not deploy in the collision. The driver's neck snapped and he died after three weeks in the hospital. The Century had pro-drilled holes for a frontal sensor, but no sensor was added even though its sister cars of the same year were equipped with a frontal sensor. GM argued that frontal sensors are only effective with pole impacts and that airbags do not prevent neck injuries. |
| Randomly deploying airbag causes injuries to Ford Contour driver |
| Ford agreed to settle an airbag case involving a 1995 Ford Contour purchased new. Plaintiff took the Contour to the dealership after the airbag warning activated, but the dealership told him to ignore it. Days later, the airbag deployed, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. Ford claimed the airbag deployed after plaintiff hit a pole. However, damage to the front of the car in the area of the sensors was minimal. Plaintiff’s injuries were enhanced by the seatbelt that, unlike the same vehicle sold in Europe, did not have pretensioners. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Child dies in low speed collision in Ford Crown Victoria |
| Ford has agreed to a confidential settlement with the family of a five- year-old boy who was killed when the passenger side airbag of a 1996 Crown Victoria deployed after a low speed collision which caused almost no damage to the front of the mother’s vehicle. The mother had four children in the Crown Victoria. She had twins in separate car seats in the back seat, a seven-year-old in the middle-front position, and the deceased child in the right-front position. The child that was in the middle-front position was not injured. Plaintiff contended all the children were properly restrained. Ford contended none of the children were properly restrained and that the mother should not have had the child in the front seat. |
| Client is partially blinded in defective airbag case |
| A 16 year old high school junior was partially blinded when a defective air bag deployed during a minor parking lot impact. Raymond Bodiford was requested to handle the case in San Diego, California, where a lawsuit was filed with local counsel, resulting in a confidential settlement that will ensure that the teenager will have the wherewithal to attend a four year university, with money left over to secure her financial future as well as her future medical needs. |
| 13 year old loses her eye when airbag agressively strikes her in the face |
| Ford has agreed to settle an airbag case involving lack of passenger tether and overly aggressive deployment in a 1995 Ford Escort. The plaintiff was a 13-year-old female front passenger, properly restrained by the Escort’s two-point passive belt. A 10 mph offset frontal collision in a parking lot resulted in the airbags deploying and plaintiff losing an eye. Ford contended the airbag was state of the art. Raymond Bodiford represented the plaintiff. |
| Defective seatbelt results in driver's death |
| In another faulty seat belt design case, a man was killed when his vehicle went off the road and struck a tree. His death was caused by his automatic 2 point seat belt which he was using without a lap belt, which cut his liver in half. Suit was brought against the auto manufacturer and Eckerd Corporation. The gentlemen was on three medications from three separate doctors which Eckerd filled without giving him the warning that their computer suggested regarding the contradicting indications of these drugs. As a result he became sleepy and ran off the road and hit the tree. Even though he hit the tree he would have lived but for the poorly designed seat belt system which cut his liver in two. He probably would not have died if he had his lap belt on, the lap belt was not integrated into the shoulder belt system, and the manufacturer failed to put any warnings on the visor or elsewhere of the hazard of not wearing the lap belt with shoulder belt system. The entire case was settled for a confidential amount. Important to our clients: In an appeal, Raymond Bodiford made NEW LAW in Florida which states that the pharmacy has a duty to warn of known contradictions of medicine prescribed by different doctors if they undertake to do so. Previous cases against pharmacies were unsuccessful with the Courts finding they did not have any responsibility or a “legal duty.” |
| Ford Explorer Rollover results in serious injury and confidential settlement |
| Ford reached a confidential settlement with a young LPN who was injured when her Ford Explorer rolled over on the roadway of I-95 in Palm Beach County, FL. She received extensive injuries to her body including broken ankles, a dislocated hip, and multiple fractures. The client was unable to return to work for several months and was unable to finish her studies to obtain her RN degree resulting in a loss of earning capacity and lost income and wages. |
| ire blowout caused by dealer's failure to put the correct size tires on an SUV results in the death of a local teen |
| A family lost their teen age son in a SUV roll over accident. It was determined that a tire dealership sold them the wrong size tire for their SUV. One of the tires then had a blow out resulting in a loss of control. Experts hired by the firm proved that with the proper size tire the vehicle would not have rolled over. Not only are Firestone tires defective, we have found that other tires are capable of having tread separation and other problems as well. The firm is now handling several cases that have settled. |
| Taxi cab rape reaches settlement agreement |
| Taxi Company based in Orlando, FL reached a settlement agreement at mediation in March of 2007 with Sylvana Sandri who was brutally raped and sexually battered while working as a Taxi Cab Driver in 2004. Raymond Bodiford argued that Mrs. Sandri’s taxi cab should have been equipped with safety devices, which can be found commonplace in other cities across the U.S. Mr. Bodiford argued that providing a safety partition between the driver and back seat passenger, a Panic Button accessible to the driver, or a taxi camera (mandated in cities like Las Vegas) may have deterred the criminal and prevented the incident. Mrs. Sandri’s story was interview for CNN and featured in a related story about taxi safety. |
| Chevy pickup involved in accident results in head injury for driver |
| General Motors has agreed to a confidential settlement of a claim involving a 1997 Chevy S-b pickup truck that rolled over resulting in roof crush. The Chevy truck was stopped for traffic on the interstate when another vehicle rear-ended it at approximately 60 mph. Upon rolling over, the header deformed in a V-shape manner, resulting in an impact to the driver’s head. The driver had a head injury, severe scarring, and partial loss of sight in one eye. The plaintiff focused on the roof crush aspect although the vehicle had stability and handling problems as well. GM claimed the plaintiff’s injury was caused by a tool box and drill that were loose inside the cab. Man v. GM. Raymond Bodiford and Howard Butler represented the plaintiff. |
| Pickup truck accident results in head trauma to properly belted driver |
| In another case, client’s pick up truck rolls over after being hit by a negligent driver and the roof on the truck collapses resulting in a severe head injury. We have discovered that the roof structure was not designed properly and was not crashworthy. This case is still underway. |
| Motorcycle accident results in settlement for decedent's children |
| An experienced motorcycle rider was killed in Orlando, Orange County, when a large commercial truck pulled directly into the path of his motorcycle. He expired at the scene, leaving behind two teenage daughters. The parties settled for a confidential amount to each daughter through a trust so that the girls will now be able to attend college. |
| Auto accident leads to blindness and confidential settlement |
| Our 25 year old client was partially blinded in the left eye when a cement mixer ran a red light, crossing in front of the vehicle he was a passenger in. Although liability was clear, he was unemployed and had minimal medical bills associated with his injuries. Nonetheless, we were able to obtain a settlement after filing suit in excess of $400,000.00. With the settlement, he was able to pay his medical bills, and purchase a home. |
| General Tire tread separation causes Ford Explorer rollover resulting in double fatality |
Ford and General Tire have agreed to settle a ease involving a 1997 Ford Explorer with General tires. The right rear tire experienced tread separation on the freeway, causing the Explorer to roll over. Plaintiff argued that the Explorer had handling and stability defects and the General Tire had manufacturing and design defects. Plaintiff also alleged that General Tire had removed rubber from critical areas of the tire in order to save costs. The driver and his three- year-old daughter were killed.
Find more information here: Tire Defects or Tire Blowouts Page. |
| Defective airbag blinds passenger; BMW settles |
| A young man in a BMW was riding in the passenger’s seat of his 3-series BMW. The driver ran over a curb, causing the passenger’s air bag to go off, and strike our client in the face at full-force. As a result, he became blinded in one eye. Plaintiff’s legal team discovered that the large air bag was not tethered to the dash and it had been made in Mexico, not Germany, where the remainder of the car had been manufactured. The parties reach a settlement at mediation in Los Angeles, CA in the Spring of 2008. |
| Defective airbag blinds passenger; Mitsubishi settles |
| Mitsubishi Motors agreed to a confidential settlement for our 20- year old client, a petite college student, who lost her eye as a result of an airbag in her 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. She was seat belted and riding in the passenger’s seat when the car made a slight impact (15-20mph) with a pole in a parking lot. The huge airbag deployed, sending the sun visor directly into her face at a high rate of speed. Her injury was so severe it required a complete removal of her eye. Testing conducted by the Plaintiff’s experts showed that, in an airbag deployment, the sun visor in the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse would be knocked completely off its holder and the propelled directly into the face of a passenger at a speed of 50 – 60 mph! The parties agreed to settle at a mediation held in October of 2006 in Texas. |
| Airbag failure to deploy results in death of driver |
| Ford paid a confidential amount to the surviving spouse of a 75 year old man, who had been properly belted in his 2000 Ford Taurus when it was hit head on by another driver. The airbag failed to deploy and our client died as a result of his injuries. The crash took place in Ft. Myers, Lee County, FL. Upon inspection, Plaintiff’s experts discovered that Ford had failed to adequately protect the electrical wires leading to the airbag sensor. The sensor wires had been severed before they were able to send a signal to properly deploy the airbag, which may have saved his life. |
| Late deploying airbag injuries client - Ford settles |
| Ford tendered a confidential settlement amount to Mrs. Kinsey after her 2005 Ford Taurus was involved in a collision with a truck. The airbag deployed causing severe injuries including eye injuries and dental injuries to this 5’7”, properly belted driver. Raymond Bodiford argued that the airbag had a late deployment and should not have struck the client with such impact directly into her face. |
| Dangerous conversion van results in serious injuries and death |
| The Plaintiff, a Maine resident, was on vacation in Florida when the 7 passenger conversion van she was riding in failed to maneuver around a curve and began to rollover. Although she believes she had been wearing her seatbelt at the time, somehow she was ejected from the vehicle and received serious injuries. The driver of the van and another passenger were killed. Our client was unable to continue at her job and spent months in the hospital and rehabilitation. Raymond Bodiford alleged that the conversion van was unreasonably dangerous. The parties reached a confidential settlement to help accommodate the client’s future. |
| Ford Ranger rollover resultes in death to belted passenger |
| A mother and father lost their only daughter, Cheryl, near El Centro, CA when the Ford Ranger she was a belted passenger in, rolled over. Her seatbelt unlatched and she was ejected through the passenger window. She expired at the scene of the accident as a result of the crash. The seat belt had a known defect that Ford failed to recall or notify the public about. The parties settled at mediation held in Costa Mesa, CA in December 2006. |
| Defective Dodge Ram seat belts result in driver being ejected during accident |
| Daimler Chrysler Corporation reached a confidential settlement with the plaintiff, Penthouse’s Pet of the month for December 2001 and the driver of Dodge Ram 2500. While properly seat belted, she veered to miss an animal in the road and the vehicle rolled over along the road. During the rollover her seatbelt became unbuckled due to a defect in the buckle. She was ejected from the truck, receiving severe head injuries resulting in a coma. Aside from the horrific injuries, she also suffered lost wages, including loss of income from her budding acting career. She received a confidential settlement at mediation. |
| Chevy Trailerblazer accident ejects driver causing serious injury |
| General Motors paid a confidential amount to a young lady who, while a college student at the University of Florida, was involved in a rollover accident while driving her Chevrolet Trailblazer. Another car forced her off the Florida Turnpike in Orange County, FL and she was ejected from the vehicle. As a result, she received head injuries. Following the settlement and months of therapy, she was able to complete her college education at the University of Central Florida. |
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