NHTSA Complaint #10648251 — 2012 FORD FUSION

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WHEN A TOYOTA COROLLA REAR-ENDED MY VEHICLE. THE SPEED OF THE COROLLA WAS PROBABLY BETWEEN 40 - 50 MILES / HOUR BASED ON A ROAD SPEED OF 40 MILES / HOUR. MY DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD DURING THE IMPACT LEADING TO INJURY OF BOTH MY SHOULDERS, BURST A COUPLE OF CERVICAL SPINE DISCS, LEAD TO BULGING THORACIC DISCS AND A SLIPPED LUMBAR VERTEBRAE, BILATERAL KNEE INJURY FROM SLIDING UP THE CHAIR, LEFT PERENNIAL NERVE PARESIS, INTERMITTENT NUMBNESS OF UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITIES AND CHRONIC BACK PAIN. I WAS LUCKY THAT NOBODY WAS SITTING BEHIND ME IN THE CAR, OTHERWISE MY HEAD WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THEIR BODY PARTS. I CONTACTED FORD COMPANY TO INQUIRE ABOUT FAILURES OF THEIR SEATS IN REAR-END IMPACTS. INITIALLY, THEY OFFERED TO INSPECT THE CAR SEAT TO ASSESS IF A FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AND FIX IT. HOWEVER, A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I WAS DISMAYED TO HEAR FROM THEM THAT IF I WANTED TO FILE A CLAIM FOR MEDICAL BILLS THEN I SHOULD DO THAT WITH MY CAR INSURANCE COMPANY AND FORD WOULD MITIGATE THE INSURANCE COMPANY LOSSES. CAR SEATS SHOULD NOT COLLAPSE BACKWARD IN CASES OF INTERMEDIATE SPEED ACCIDENTS SINCE THAT COULD EXACERBATE SPINE INJURIES. ALSO, FOR THE COMPANY TO DECLINE TO INSPECT MY CAR SEAT FOR DEFECTS BASED ON THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL RECOMMENDATIONS SHOW LACK OF CARE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I DID SOME LITERATURE AND ACCORDING TO IT, WHEN CAR SEATS COLLAPSE DURING REAR-END ACCIDENTS THERE IS A LACK OF SUPPORT OF THE SPINE. EVEN FORD'S WEBSITE CLAIM THAT THEIR CARS ARE SAFE IN REAR-END IMPACTS UP TO 60 MILES / HOUR. I HAVE PROOF THAT THE INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE DUE TO THE CAR ACCIDENTS. ABOUT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, I HAD AN MRI OF WHOLE SPINE WHICH DID NOT SHOW THE ABOVE MENTIONED INJURIES ON FOLLOW UP MRI AFTER THE ACCIDENT. *TR