News

Do I have a Case?

Do I Have a Case?

Virginia DOT to Remove Trinity Highway Guardrails

ET-Plus Removal follows $175 million verdict in whistleblower claim

The Virginia Department of Transportation recently announced plans to remove highway guardrails made by Trinity Industries, which are being blamed for injuries and deaths nationwide. The Virginia DOT plans to seek reimbursement for the removal expenses from Trinity, according to media reports.

A Texas jury recently ordered Trinity to pay $175 million for misleading regulators. In response, the Dallas-based company announced plans to cease shipments of its ET-Plus guardrail product. A whistleblower alleges Trinity altered its guardrail design in a manner that failed to conform to regulations. The whistleblower informed the Federal Highway Administration about a confidential design alteration Trinity made in 2005, according to media reports.

The ET-Plus is mounted to the end of a guardrail and is designed to absorb the impact of a vehicle crashing into it. The Texas lawsuit claimed that Trinity made modifications to the ET-Plus’s guardrail design to save money, but the changes could be deadly. According to lawsuits filed against Trinity, the ET-Plus does not absorb impacts properly but rather spears into crashing cars, potentially causing serious injuries or killing vehicle passengers.

A VDOT spokesperson said that Virginia has paid for and installed 11,000 guardrails since 2006. VDOT made the decision to remove Trinity’s guardrail products after the company failed to meet a deadline for crash testing its ET-Plus end terminal.

The Cochran Firm, D.C. is investigating claims related to Trinity guardrails. If you were involved in a serious vehicle accident in which a guardrail pierced your vehicle, please contact The Cochran Firm, D.C. at 202-682-5800.

Newsletter

Stay informed with our most recent news, events and employment opportunities.
Group Recommend
Contact Us
WASHINGTON, DC
1666 K Street NW
Suite 1150
Washington, DC 20006

BALTIMORE
400 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

1-800-THE-FIRM
202-589-1500
1-800-THE-FIRM
Have a question?
Get in Touch.
The Cochran Firm handles Medical Malpractice, Catastrophic Personal Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents & Wrongful Death Claims for clients throughout the United States of America. The information on this website does not constitute legal advice nor form an attorney-client relationship. Please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a free consultation.
© 2024 Copyright The Cochran Firm DC.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram