The family of Reshall Jimmy – who died in his burning SUV — are to launch a class action suit against Ford over the spontaneous combustion of 48 Ford Kuga vehicles.
The announcement was made in Pretoria on Tuesday by Jimmy family lawyer Rod Montano.
It comes after Ford’s announcement on Monday that it was to conduct a safety recall on more than 4500 of its 2012-2014 1.6l Ecoboost Kugas.
Montano said that they had handed over 46 complaints from Ford Kuga owners.
The action‚ he said‚ will be pursued with the National Consumer Commission.
Commission spokesman Trevor Hattingh said that people who had suffered with their Kugas burning could approach the Commission for assistance.
“We can depending on the complaint take this to the commission tribunal.” –
Ford accused of ‘shopping’ for forensic reports after fatal Kuga fire
In a damning accusation‚ forensic investigator David Klatzow has accused Ford of “shopping” for forensic reports to prove its case in the death of Reshall Jimmy.
Klatzow and the Jimmy family briefed the media on Tuesday‚ a day after the announcement by Ford of a recall of the motor manufacturer’s 2012-2014 Kuga 1.6l EcoBoost. It involves more than 4500 vehicles.
Jimmy died in December 2015 while on holiday in the Wilderness‚ in the Western Cape.
Since his death‚ a total of 48 Kugas have caught fire in South Africa‚ 11 of them this year.
Ford has launched an urgent high court application to obtain the police inquest docket and all the evidence it contains into Jimmy’s death.
The company claims it needs the evidence to complete the investigation.
Both Klatzow and Jimmy’s brother‚ Kaveen Jimmy‚ however‚ said that they had offered Ford the necessary documents to assist the company in its investigation.
Klatzow said that in Ford’s first investigation‚ its investigator‚ a Mr Young‚ had agreed with police and private investigators that the fire had started behind the dashboard on the front passenger side of the car.
Ford maintains‚ through its other two forensic investigations‚ that the fire started at the rear of the car.
Klatzow said that they had requested Young’s report and the car’s wiring diagrams in exchange for information they had.
“We discussed the information that we would share‚ but they never came back. Instead‚ they approached the courts to try force the handover of the evidence we have.
“On top of this‚ they have now gone around shopping for forensic reports to suit their case.”
Jimmy said they were alarmed at Ford’s accusations that they had tried to frustrate the company’s investigation.
“We received a letter from Ford… to stop lying to the media‚ but it is them who are frustrating the process.
“We of all people want this brought to a conclusion. Why would we delay the process?” he asked. – TMG Digital/The Times
Kuga victim’s family to launch class action against Ford
The family of Reshall Jimmy – who died in his burning SUV — are to launch a class action suit against Ford over the spontaneous combustion of 48 Ford Kuga vehicles.
The announcement was made in Pretoria on Tuesday by Jimmy family lawyer Rod Montano.
It comes after Ford’s announcement on Monday that it was to conduct a safety recall on more than 4500 of its 2012-2014 1.6l Ecoboost Kugas.
Montano said that they had handed over 46 complaints from Ford Kuga owners.
The action‚ he said‚ will be pursued with the National Consumer Commission.
Commission spokesman Trevor Hattingh said that people who had suffered with their Kugas burning could approach the Commission for assistance.
“We can depending on the complaint take this to the commission tribunal.” –
Ford accused of ‘shopping’ for forensic reports after fatal Kuga fire
In a damning accusation‚ forensic investigator David Klatzow has accused Ford of “shopping” for forensic reports to prove its case in the death of Reshall Jimmy.
Klatzow and the Jimmy family briefed the media on Tuesday‚ a day after the announcement by Ford of a recall of the motor manufacturer’s 2012-2014 Kuga 1.6l EcoBoost. It involves more than 4500 vehicles.
Jimmy died in December 2015 while on holiday in the Wilderness‚ in the Western Cape.
Since his death‚ a total of 48 Kugas have caught fire in South Africa‚ 11 of them this year.
Ford has launched an urgent high court application to obtain the police inquest docket and all the evidence it contains into Jimmy’s death.
The company claims it needs the evidence to complete the investigation.
Both Klatzow and Jimmy’s brother‚ Kaveen Jimmy‚ however‚ said that they had offered Ford the necessary documents to assist the company in its investigation.
Klatzow said that in Ford’s first investigation‚ its investigator‚ a Mr Young‚ had agreed with police and private investigators that the fire had started behind the dashboard on the front passenger side of the car.
Ford maintains‚ through its other two forensic investigations‚ that the fire started at the rear of the car.
Klatzow said that they had requested Young’s report and the car’s wiring diagrams in exchange for information they had.
“We discussed the information that we would share‚ but they never came back. Instead‚ they approached the courts to try force the handover of the evidence we have.
“On top of this‚ they have now gone around shopping for forensic reports to suit their case.”
Jimmy said they were alarmed at Ford’s accusations that they had tried to frustrate the company’s investigation.
“We received a letter from Ford… to stop lying to the media‚ but it is them who are frustrating the process.
“We of all people want this brought to a conclusion. Why would we delay the process?” he asked. – TMG Digital/The Times
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