Safety of Guardrails Called into Question by Accident Victims

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A Kentucky man is questioning the role of a potentially malfunctioning safety device after losing a leg in an accident. WKYT.com reports that earlier last month, Chris Cavanaugh hit mud on the roadway and slid into a guardrail. Rather than folding backward and away from the car like it was designed to do, the guardrail end terminal stayed rigid. The rigidity forced the brake pedal to go through Cavanaugh’s foot – ultimately leading to amputation. He also broke three ribs and required stitches on his other foot. Tragically, the accident occurred just weeks after the state of Kentucky banned any future installation of the ET-Plus guardrail – the one involved in this crash.

The ET-Plus model of guardrail heads have been banned across the country, but the ban does not go far enough to protect people from the guardrails already on the roads. Experts say there are thousands of these potentially dangerous guardrail end terminals across the country. Only Virginia has taken steps toward removing the devices currently on the road. Other states say they will await crash testing results ordered by the federal government before making a decision about the ET-Plus.

Many believe a product redesign of the ET-Plus is what lies behind the malfunction. Trinity Industries, the company that manufactures the ET-Plus, made unauthorized design changes to the product without alerting regulators to the change. A one inch reduction in the size of a critical metal piece may not sound like a drastic change, but experts say it makes all the difference in the way the device works. Internal emails revealed that the design change likely saved Trinity Industries money in manufacturing costs.

Do You Need A Guardrail Lawyer? – Get Help Now

Our Guardrail Injury Lawyers are currently investigating serious and fatal guardrail accidents related to this potentially dangerous guardrail design. If you or a loved one were injured in an accident with a guardrail, contact our attorneys to discuss your legal options. We offer a free, no obligation, Free Case Evaluation 877-544-5323