Moore v. Ford Motor Co.

Jeanne Moore (plaintiff), six feet tall and about 300 pounds, was rear-ended at low speed in her Ford Explorer, causing her driver's seat to collapse backward and her head and shoulders to strike the back seat, fracturing a vertebra and paralyzing her. Moore sued Ford (defendant), presenting evidence that the seat's design would collapse in mild-to-moderate rear impacts for drivers of her height and weight and testifying she would not have bought the vehicle had she been warned of this; the trial court granted Ford a directed verdict, and after an appellate decision, the Missouri Supreme Court took up the case.