Robert M.N. Palmer, The Law Offices of Robert M.N. Palmer, P.C. and Charles A. Saladino, Saladino Law Firm for Plaintiff; and W. Russell Welsh, Polsinelli, White Vardeman & Shalton, and William Grubbs, Woodward, Hobson & Fulton, for Defendant Ford Motor Co.

On April 30, 1989, 16 year old Christi Teitloff was the driver and sole occupant of a 1989 Ford Escort equipped with a motorized automatic shoulder harness and separate manual lap belt. She was wearing the passive shoulder harness, but the manual lap belt was not engaged. A vehicle coming from the opposite direction around a curve ran Ms. Teitloff off the road. Her Escort rolled three times and she was ejected, receiving severe brain damage. Plaintiff was totally disabled as a result, and at the time of settlement had medical expenses of approximately $400,000.

Plaintiff sued Ford Motor Company on the theory that the restraint system was defectively designed in that it did not have an integrated passive lap belt with the passive shoulder harness, thereby exposing occupants to the dangers of a crash without the benefit of a lap belt. According to Plaintiffs experts, if Ms. Teitloff had been wearing a lap belt her injuries would have been minor or non-existent. Plaintiff also pursued a failure-to-warn claim against Ford Motor Company for Ford's failure to properly warn Ms. Teitloff of the need to wear a lap belt to receive adequate restraint.

Shortly before the case was to go to trial, settlement was reached for a confidential amount on August 7, 1995.