A Columbus jury has handed down a staggering $2.5 billion verdict against Ford Motor Company, siding with the family of a Georgia couple who lost their lives when their truck’s roof collapsed in a rollover accident. The case has reignited concerns over vehicle safety standards and Ford’s long-standing defense of its “Super Duty” truck roofs.
Fatal Crash Raises Questions About Roof Strength
In August 2022, Herman and Debra Mills were traveling in their 2015 Ford F250 “Super Duty” truck in Decatur County, Georgia, when tragedy struck. Their vehicle veered off the road, hit a culvert hidden by tall grass, launched into the air, landed on its front, and then rolled over. The impact crushed the truck’s roof, trapping the couple inside.
Debra Mills died at the scene, while her husband succumbed to his injuries nine days later at a hospital in Tallahassee, Florida. The Mills family, devastated by their loss, filed a lawsuit against Ford, alleging that the vehicle’s roof was dangerously weak—a claim that a Columbus jury ultimately supported with a massive punitive damages award.
Ford’s Defense and Industry Standards
Ford has maintained that the roofs of its 1999-2016 “Super Duty” trucks are safe, arguing that roof strength is not a decisive factor in rollover crash survival. However, the plaintiffs pointed to safety standards set by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which requires a strength-to-weight ratio (SWR) of at least 4.0 for a vehicle to receive a “good” rating. According to the lawsuit, the Ford truck’s SWR was just 1.1—far below the industry benchmark.
Regulatory bodies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and IIHS have long emphasized the importance of robust roof structures in rollover protection. The plaintiffs’ legal team cited these industry standards to challenge Ford’s assertion that roof integrity is inconsequential in such accidents.
The Legal Battle and Jury Decision
The lawsuit, officially titled Brogdon (Mills) v. Ford Motor Company, was filed on May 23, 2023, by the Mills’ surviving family members: James E. “Dusty” Brogdon, Ronald B. “Rusty” Brogdon, and Jason Mills. The case was heard in the Columbus Division of the Middle District of Georgia, where the jury ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
The verdict came in two phases. The first phase established Ford’s liability, and the second determined punitive damages. The jury’s decision to impose a $2.5 billion penalty sends a strong message about corporate accountability in automotive safety.
Implications for Ford and the Auto Industry
The ruling raises several key questions:
- Will Ford be forced to recall millions of trucks produced between 1999 and 2016?
- Could this case open the floodgates for more lawsuits against the automaker?
- How will federal regulators respond to the jury’s findings?
Historically, automakers have faced severe financial and reputational damage from safety-related lawsuits. Ford, no stranger to legal battles, will likely appeal the verdict, seeking to reduce or overturn the massive damages awarded.
For consumers, this case underscores the importance of vehicle safety ratings and regulatory oversight. If nothing else, the trial has shined a spotlight on potential weaknesses in one of America’s most popular truck lines.
