Wrongful Death, Product Liability – Video Transcript

The Pettits Video Testimonial

Below is the transcript of the original YouTube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eteBd-hnWY8
(The YouTube video will open in a new window.)

After an SUV rollover on a freeway claimed their daughter’s life, the highway patrol blamed her for the accident. The Pettits refused to accept that and hired Richard Alexander. Dick proved that a defective tire caused an already dangerous SUV to roll. Hear what Bob and Janet have to say about Dick.

[Music] Rebecca “Becky” Pettit, a twenty year old college student, was killed when a defective Firestone ATX tire delaminated in classic fashion, causing her 1994 Ford Explorer to rollover while driving on Interstate 5. Her mother, Janet Pettit, was a passenger at the time. [Janet] I was driving with my daughter, she was driving the car, and there was a loud bang and a jolt to the car. I glanced in the side view mirror and thought I saw rubber flying from the car. In the meanwhile then, the car’s headed right for the side of the road. Becky had died and I was taken to the hospital too. I was terribly bruised but I was still alive. [Music] Eight days prior to the accident, Bob Pettit, Becky’s father, brought the Explorer to an auto repair shop, Friendly Ford, for a full inspection and complete maintenance. What Bob didn’t know was that friendly Ford failed to report that the tires on Explorer were severely out of round and in urgent need of being replaced. [Bob] For our family, we didn’t think we’d done anything wrong. We had the vehicle in to have it checked, as we did every single time. [Janet] What caused the accident was the separation of the tread from the tire and that something should absolutely never occur. It’s going to only occur because there was a failure on the part of the company making the tire. [Music] The Pettits had no idea that Firestone, a reputable giant in the auto industry, had knowingly provided their family with a dangerously defective product, ATX tire. In March the information came out, I believe, it started an investigation in Florida that there is some relationship between all these tire failures and the Ford Explorer. [Music] In need of help, the Pettits turned to attorney, Richard Alexander and his law firm. [Bob] Their law firm is rated very highly. It’s one of the better ones in the country, especially involved with this type of case, no accidents, which are not easy to deal with especially when you’re going against the big companies. [Music] Under the stewardship of Richard Alexander and his law firm, the Petits filed a wrongful death suit against all parties involved. [Bob] We were very impressed with him and his staff, and overall set up in the way they approach things, and as were our other family members. And never once do we have a question unanswered or were we in the dark about what’s going to happen. If we ever were, they might brief us on it, and gee, what did they say, let’s go through this again okay, you know, as many times as you want, you know. [Janet] I just felt like he had it all under control, I put it that way, I just felt like he was taking charge and there was nothing to be concerned about. [Music] The wrongdoers agreed to pay settlements acceptable to the Pettits after all discovery and expert testimony proved they were responsible for Rebecca’s death and Mrs. Pettit’s injuries. [Janet] You feel that somebody has actually taken responsibility for what happened, and I think that’s the main thing as a parent in this situation that’s what you want. You want somebody admit, hey you know, it was our fault. [Music] One year after Becky’s death. Firestone recalled 6.5 million Firestone ATX tires. Later the recall was extended to 14.4 million tires. This became the largest product recall in the history of the United States’ automotive industry. The recall was based on information known to Firestone well before Becky’s death.