A Jefferson County woman is suing over claims she was injured when the airbags in her Ford Escape failed to deploy during a collision.
Elizabeth Jaeger filed a lawsuit March 27 in the Jefferson County District Court against Ford Motor Co. and Kinsel Ford-Mercury Inc., citing strict tort liability.
According to the complaint, on March 12, 2013, Jaeger was operating her vehicle in Jefferson County. While doing so, she struck an Entergy electric pole.
"However, plaintiff's airbag failed to deploy, causing severe injuries to the plaintiff," the suit states.
The vehicle in question was a 2005 Ford Escape.
"Plaintiff would further show that the subject vehicle and/or airbags were defective and/or unreasonably dangerous ... and was a producing cause of the injuries sustained by plaintiff in the collision," the suit states.
The complaint alleges Ford was negligent in its design and manufacture of the vehicle and that the "defective" and "unreasonably dangerous" nature or condition was a legal, proximate and producing cause of the plaintiff's injuries.
The plaintiff invokes the legal theories of "strict tort liability" and "crashworthiness" under Texas law.
Jaeger is seeking compensation for medical expenses, loss of earnings, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, physical disfigurement and mental impairment.
According to the complaint, the defendants' tortious acts constitute malice or gross negligence, making the plaintiff entitled to punitive or exemplary damages. She is also seeking interest, attorneys' fees, costs and other equitable relief.
She is being represented in the case by attorneys Paul F. Ferguson Jr. and Cody Dishon of Provost Umphrey Law Firm LLP.
Jefferson County District Court Case No. E195-536
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Jefferson County District Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.