Mike Eidson Co-Lead Counsel in National Litigation Against Ford & Firestone Reacts To Bridgestone/Firestone's Settlement With Texas Family Today

    MIAMI--Aug. 24, 2001--Mike Eidson, partner at Colson Hicks Eidson and co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs' personal injury and wrongful death cases in the Firestone/Ford Federal Multi-District litigation now pending before United States District Court Judge Sarah Barker in Indianapolis, Indiana, today announced his reaction to the settlement reached by Bridgestone/Bridgestone/Firestone in a $1 billion lawsuit filed by a Texas family.
    "While I am pleased that the Rodriguez family has received a substantial settlement from Bridgestone/Firestone after a two-week trial in McAllen, Texas, I am dismayed by the continuing efforts of these two corporate giants to blame each other for the human tragedies their products have caused.
    This case proved nothing. Bridgestone/Firestone spent two weeks blasting Ford for the Rodriguez accident and continues to put the entire blame on the uncontrollable, unstable Explorer. Ford blames the defective tires. There is a ton of evidence to prove that they are both correct: it is a bad car with bad tires.
    There are almost 1,000 cases pending against Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford involving Firestone tires on Ford Explorers. I urge both companies to do the right thing, for themselves and for the families who have been devastated and immediately allocate the resources necessary to fairly settle the pending cases.
    These cases do not need to go to trial. The responsibility is blatant and rests on the shoulders of both Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford. The trial was an attempt by Bridgestone/Firestone to shift blame to Ford. The blame shifting must stop."