Lisoni & Lisoni to Provide ``State of the Litigation'' for Firestone Steeltex Class Action Lawsuit; Detail Petition for New Investigation

PASADENA, Calif.--March 9, 2004--As the 20-month-old national class action lawsuit against Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. for alleged defects in its Firestone Steeltex tire series reaches its most critical stage to date, the Plaintiff's law firm, Lisoni & Lisoni, will hold a News Conference on March 12 at its Pasadena offices to analyze and comment on recent major new developments in the lawsuit and announce new actions to be taken as the "home stretch" approaches in the litigation process.

Terming the last three months as a highly significant and turbulent period in the litigation, lead Attorney Joseph L. Lisoni at the News Conference will analyze, comment on, and offer printed and visual documentation on a wide range of subjects, to include:

-- Bridgestone/Firestone's announcement this past week that it is recalling nearly 300,000 of its Steeltex tires which were produced at a Canada plant and have been linked to six accidents which resulted in five deaths and 20 injuries. Another 20,000 tires were exported outside U.S.

-- Bridgestone Corporation, Inc. of Japan's request to Lisoni to be temporarily exempted from the lawsuit (granted) until determination was made of the culpability of Bridgestone/Firestone.

-- The ruling made by the California Superior Court on February 25 on a motion to have the lawsuit certified as a national class action and what it means for the litigation's final outcome.

-- The refiling of a petition seeking sanctions for Bridgestone/Firestone's alleged destruction of evidence (damaged tires) which violated a court order.

-- Reversal of denials by Bridgestone/Firestone that it has been storing allegedly defective tires.

-- The petition by lawyers representing Bridgestone/Firestone to The State Bar of California seeking to have the senior partners of Lisoni & Lisoni disbarred. (Bar denied petition.)

Also at the News Conference, Lisoni will announce the filing of a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requesting that it reopen its investigation of Firestone Steeltex tires limited to tires on ambulances. Through its own investigation, the law firm has obtained reports of alleged defects on Steeltex tires from ambulance companies in 33 states.

Following are pertinent details on the News Conference:

WHEN:        Friday, March 12, 10:30a.m.

WHERE:       Lisoni & Lisoni
             225 South Lake Avenue (9th Floor Conference Room)
             Pasadena

WHO:         JOSEPH L. & GAIL N. LISONI - Lisoni & Lisoni

VISUALS:     Among the items to be on display at the News Conference
             will be maps, charts, photographs and written materials
             documenting Steeltex tire failures, resulting damages and
             ambulance problems as well as video clips of alleged 
             destruction of evidence by Bridgestone/Firestone and
             video images of problems ambulances are having with
             Steeltex tires.

INFORMATION   
CONTACT:     For additional information or advance arrangements prior
             to March 12, contact Bob Fisher or Chris Foster of Fisher
             & Associates at 818-346-1750 or e-mail
             pr4biz@FisherPR.com.