NHTSA Complaint #10265089 — 2004 DODGE RAM 1500

I HAD JUST FINISHED CUTTING THE GRASS IN MY BACKYARD. BEING THAT I HAD GRASS CLIPPINGS AND DUST ALL OVER ME AND MY CLOTHES I ASKED MY WIFE TO MOVE THE VEHICLES INTO THE BACKYARD SO I COULD CUT THE FRONTYARD. MY WIFE IS 5' 3" TALL AND OUR TRUCK IS A DODGE RAM 1500 W/ 20" RIMS. SO FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE TRUCK ON EITHER SIDE SHE NEEDS THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LEVERAGE HANDLE OR (THE OH '!@#$% HANDLE) AS WE CALL IT. WHEN SHE PROCEEDED TO PULL HERSELF UP INTO THE SEAT, JUST BEFORE BEING ABLE TO SEAT HERSELF BEHIND THE WHEEL THE LEVERAGE HANDLE CAME OFF THE FRAME OF THE CAB. THE SECOND I REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED I WAS ON MY KNEES BY HER SIDE ASKING HER QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE IF SHE WAS O.K. SHE LANDED ON HER BUTT FIRST THEN HER BACKSIDE AND THEN THE BACK OF HER HEAD HIT THE GROUND. A FRIEND OF OURS WAS THERE TO HEAR HER FALL BUT HE DID NOT SEE THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE IS BLIND. I ASKED HIM TO GET A PILLOW FROM THE COUCH SO I COULD PLACE IT UNDER HER HEAD. SHE HAD TO LAY THERE ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO GET HER BEARINGS BACK TOGETHER. AFTER SHE WAS ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT ON THE GROUND I TOOK PICTURES OF EVERYTHING. I STARTED LOOKING AT AND STUDYING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEVERAGE HANDLE AND I MUST SAY THAT IT IS A VERY POOR DESIGN. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS ANCHORING THIS HANDLE TO THE CAB FRAME WAS 2 SMALL BOLTS, NOT WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE IN A LEVERAGE HANDLE THAT SUPPORTS NO LEVERAGE AT ALL. AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS SHE SAID SHE HAD A MIGRAINE HEADACHE AND HER NECK WAS HURTING. I TOOK HER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE SHE WAS GIVEN A CAT SCAN, PAIN KILLER AND MUSCLE RELAXER. THE E-ROOM DOCTOR SAID SHE HAS MINOR HEAD INJURY AND CERVICAL NECK STRAIN. THE INJURIES SHE RECEIVED FROM THIS ACCIDENT ARE ALL MINOR AND SHE IS VERY LUCKY HER INJURIES ARE MINOR. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, ACCIDENTS, DEATHS AND DEFAULTS I SAW IN THE WEBSITE THAT LEAD ME TO THIS COMPLAINT FORM, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO GET DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO FIX MY TRUCK. *TR