Guardrails are designed to make car accidents safer. Ideally, they should bend backwards to bring vehicles to a safe stop along the roads and highways. Despite this ideal intent, the ET-Plus has been shown to spear cars, piercing the front and crashing the foot wells below the steering wheels. This design defect has resulted in serious injuries, such as amputations, and death.
The ET-Plus guardrails manufactured by Trinity Industries has been under scrutiny for months. A Texas court fined the manufacturer, finding it to have defrauded the federal government. Lawsuits have been filed against the company, claiming car accidents have been worsened by the ET-Plus malfunctioning. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has ordered a series of tests to better understand the reasons why these guardrails are malfunctioning.
Suspension Pending Test Results
Trinity has stopped shipping and new installations of their guardrails in almost 42 states and the District of Columbia pending a definitive evaluation of the safety of its products.
The FHWA 8-part test is designed to evaluate the safety of the ET-Plus. Two task forces have been established to review the device’s dimensions and measurement data collected by the FHWA engineers, as well as determine if the device has potential vulnerabilities that could compromise its ability to perform as designed. These task forces will further recommend whether additional testing is warranted.
Injured In a Guardrail Accident?
If you or someone you know has been injured in a guardrail accident, you may be entitled to compensation. In order to determine whether you are entitled to compensation, you should consult an attorney who specifically handles these types of cases.
Contact an Experienced Guardrail Accident Attorney Today
Our lawyers in New York are currently investigating serious and fatal guardrail accidents related to the untested group of ET-Plus guardrails manufactured by Trinity Industries.
For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at 1-800-529-9997.
