Copyright 2000 The Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus
Dispatch
September 10, 2000, Sunday
SECTION: EDITORIAL & COMMENT, Pg. 2F
LENGTH: 271 words
HEADLINE:
TIRE CASE SHOWS NEED TO FIGHT OFF TORT REFORM
BODY:
If ever there was a case for not
imposing tort reform, the recent Bridgestone and Firestone tire fiasco would be
it. Readers should imagine their family members killed or maimed in the interest
of the corporate bottom line. Then they should also imagine having no recourse
against the company responsible because of tort reform enacted by state
legislatures and Congress at the behest of big business. While the company may
deny liability, there certainly is a smoking gun -- or maybe more of a smoking
cannon.
It is amazing to me that Bridgestone and Firestone may have
ruined their trade names forever because of greed, stonewalling and its denials
over defective tires. This is the second time the company has had to recall
defective tires. Almost 10 million Firestone 500 tires were recalled in the late
1970s.
Now, there is a shortage of tires for replacements. Who would
want to replace his defective tires with more tires from the same company? I
know that I will never have another Bridgestone or Firestone tire on any vehicle
that I own.
Corporations making consumer products must decide to make
the very best products engineering can devise and quit cutting corners by
factoring losses from lawsuits with profits to determine the bottom line.
If I am harmed by shoddy merchandise, I want to maintain my right to sue
these manufacturers for enough damages to teach them that the bottom line is not
their only consideration.
I guess the tobacco companies learned that
lying and deceit will not protect them forever. Maybe other manufacturers should
heed the lesson.
Robert A. Sicuro
Columbus
LOAD-DATE: September 11, 2000
