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KLF&B Trial Lawyers Take Ford Defect Case to U.S. Supreme Court

Trial lawyers from Kaster, Lynch, Farrar & Ball played a leading role in arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court this week on behalf of a Minnesota man who suffered life-changing injuries blamed on a defective passenger-side airbag in a Ford Crown Victoria.

At stake in Bandemer v Ford and companion case arising from a similar challenge by Ford in Montana courts is an attempt by Ford to drastically limit the ability of individuals to hold corporations accountable for dangerous products and practices. In Bandemer, the automaker has claimed that product defect lawsuit cannot be filed in Minnesota courts where the wreck occurred because the specific vehicle was not originally purchased in that state. The Michigan-based automaker claims that plaintiffs seeking damages for injuries caused by defective parts should be required to file lawsuits in the state where the vehicles were designed or manufactured. Ford appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court after state supreme courts in Minnesota and Montana rejected the automaker’s arguments.

Kaster, Lynch, Farrar & Ball trial lawyers Kyle Farrar, Wes Ball and Mark Bankston have played a leading role in the legal challenge. “If Ford wins this case, you could only sue those companies where they’re headquartered, which brings all kinds of issues up with component part manufacturers that may be headquartered in Japan or Canada,” Mr. Farrar told Court TV. “There may be no recourse for people if Ford wins this.”

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