Faulty Guardrail Liability
“Jeff” didn’t mean to fall asleep at the wheel that night. He didn’t mean to drift onto the shoulder of the highway. But he did, eventually striking the end of the guardrail and totaling his car.
On another roadway, with a different guardrail in place, “Jeff” (not a real person) might have survived the car crash relatively unscathed. In this case, however, Jeff lost his legs because a faulty guardrail failed to perform as it was supposed to.
Unbeknownst to Jeff – or to the state department of transportation – the terminal unit at the end of the guardrail on that stretch of road had been slightly redesigned by its manufacturer about three years earlier. The design changes had not been not disclosed to or reviewed by federal transportation authorities, as required by law, so those authorities then continued to purchase and install the guardrails for roadways across the United States unaware of the changes.
When Jeff’s car hit the end of the guardrail, the terminal unit should have collapsed backward onto the rail, forcing the length of the guardrail through its body and shunting it off to one side of the advancing automobile. That is what the original design of the terminal unit would have done.
The newer, redesigned terminal unit did not do that. Instead, the force of the car’s impact snapped it free of the guardrail and sent it flying. Unrestricted, the body of the guardrail skewered Jeff’s car like a half-ton javelin. It passed through the engine compartment, into the driver’s side of the passenger cabin, and beneath the driver’s seat, amputating Jeff’s legs below the knee in the process.
Against all odds, Jeff survived, but lost his legs. He was unable to return to his manufacturing job, which he had landed only a year earlier after a long and frustrating job search. Since then, he has had to move back in with his parents, and he is several months behind on his bills.
After evaluating his case, Jeff’s attorney advised him to file a suit against the guardrail manufacturer. The attorney also told Jeff that, following a trial on liability, a federal judge had awarded a nine-figure judgment against the manufacturer in a lawsuit filed by the federal government based on the manufacturer’s concealment of the design changes and providing false certifications that the changes had been accepted by the government. That doesn’t immediately help Jeff or the other plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against the manufacturer, however. Their cases still are awaiting trial.
Aware of Jeff’s financial plight, Jeff’s attorney suggested that he call USClaims.
At USClaims, we don’t offer litigation loans or litigation financing; we offer pre-settlement funding. We purchase a portion of the proceeds of an anticipated court settlement. That means injured people and their families will never be at financial risk of having to pay back a high-cost loan if their civil suit is unsuccessful. USClaims gets paid only if the plaintiff wins the case or receives a settlement.
USClaims was able to approve Jeff’s application for pre-settlement funding almost right away. Within days, he had the money he needed to make ends meet. And Jeff’s attorney has the time he needs to defend Jeff’s interest in court or at the settlement table.
When a big company breaks the law, it shouldn’t be allowed to run justice out of town on a rail. If you’ve been hurt as a result of corporate negligence and are having trouble covering your expenses, first talk to your attorney. Then talk to USClaims.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
