AUGUST 25, 2001

Bridgestone-Firestone pays up $7m in Texas

THE Bridgestone-Firestone company has settled the first of 400 law suits from victims of tire failures, paying out a rumored $7.5m to the Rodriguez Family in Texas. The family had been seeking $1bn in damages. The Rodriguez's had previously settled another case with the Ford Motor Company for $6m. Ford and Firestone have been blaming one another for the accidents which all involved Ford Explorer vehicles on Firestone tires.

The two companies are rumored to be close to a settlement to avoid the bad publicity which has been generated by the court case during which Firestone blamed the design of the Explorer, alleging that it has an unstable rear. Ford says that the Firestone tires were defective.