Consumer Attorneys Ass. of LA Comments on Firestone/Bridgestone Recall

21 September 2000

Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Comments on the Firestone/Bridgestone Recall

    LOS ANGELES--Sept. 21, 2000--"As the public's shock, inconvenience and outrage heats up against the backdrop of 'mea culpa' by Firestone and Ford, the next threat to public safety could be lurking around the corner," according to John Denove, president of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.
    "Sadly, Firestone and Ford's entire pattern of behavior -- deceit, cover-ups, suppressed memos -- is an all-too-familiar tale of corporations valuing profits more than the very people who buy their products. Think Ford Pinto. Exploding General Motor gas tanks. Dalkon Shields. Fen-Phen Diet Drug. Big Tobacco.
    "But there is a valuable lesson to be learned that can protect people from future harm. The Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles has enlightening examples of how the civil justice system has held these companies accountable and taken the worst corporate offenders to task.
    "People were stunned that the tire tread separation issue had been known and debated by the manufacturers for more than 8 years. Yet this is a common pattern that consumer attorneys know as business as usual. It is only in the court room that the truth comes to light."

    Denove offers several possible topics of discussion:

    Let the Money Do the Talking

    "When faced with a hit to their bottom line, multibillion-dollar jury verdicts against industry leaders like General Motors and Ford not only hit them in the pocketbook, but has forced meaningful product design changes, innovation and higher industry standards. Consumer attorneys can illustrate the impact successful lawsuits have had on our everyday lives," Denove said.

    The Blame Game

    "Early in the Ford-Firestone debacle, manufacturers blamed the prospect of lawsuits as preventing them from making a full disclosure. Critics of civil actions blame supposedly `runaway' verdicts with crippling business and raising consumer prices. From the recent Los Angeles School Bus recalls to the famous Tylenol scare, Consumer attorneys can examine how the possibility of legal accountability has protected the most vulnerable and forced companies to act responsibly," he continued.

    Can Justice Prevail?

    "Government agencies, weakened by political budget cuts, have very few weapons to police the kind of corporate hoodwinking Ford and Firestone played on an unsuspecting public. Nationwide, the implementation of capped damage awards and tort reform legislation diminishes the average citizen's constitutional right to find redress against harm. Consumer attorneys can discuss the threats to the civil justice system and actions to be taken to keep it viable and accessible to all," Denove concluded.