Crenna v. Ford Motor Co.

Plaintiffs Crenna brought this action against defendant Ford Motor Company for damages sustained when their Ford truck went out of control and struck a highway abutment. After the accident, it was ascertained that the truck’s right rear axle was broken. The issue in the nonjury trial was whether the broken axle caused the accident or whether the axle was broken on impact after the driver had lost control.

The trial judge found that:

The truck was being driven in a careful and prudent manner and at a reasonable rate of speed along interstate #5 within the City of Seattle, when suddenly and…