Trinity Guardrail End Terminal Claims

Aggressive Advocacy from a Pennsylvania Product Liability Lawyer

A whistleblower was recently awarded $175 million after the company he worked for, Trinity Industries, began making changes to their guardrail end cap designs without notifying federal regulators. The U.S. District Court found Trinity to have given false claims to federal regulators, a claim that Trinity denies. If you or a loved one have suffered as the result of a guardrail end, contact a Pennsylvania product liability attorney as soon as possible. Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC is proud to fight on behalf of the injured and has the experience and resources to handle even the most complicated cases. We have aggressively advocated for our clients since 1922 and have established a reputation of excellence and success.

Begin a free case evaluation with our firm by calling (888) 498-3023!

The ET-Plus Guardrail Piece Modified in 2005

The redesigned piece is said to change the way the guardrail functions when struck by a motor vehicle, to cause a dangerous condition. With the modified guardrail end cap, impacts can cause the guardrail to become a giant skewer that may impale or pin drivers. The original design is intended to cushion impacts, and send the guardrail outward, away from the roadway and the vehicle.

Trinity Industries Confident in the Guardrails’ Safety

Trinity argued they've done nothing wrong and are cooperating with lawmakers to test the new caps. The state of Virginia has taken steps to remove any Trinity guardrail caps and has requested new crash test data. This data had already been requested by the Federal Highway Administration, and Trinity has agreed in principle, though no data has been presented at this time. If the crash data shows the guardrail end terminals to be safe, Virginia officials will halt the removal of the ET-Plus systems already installed.

In all, 14 states have halted further purchases / installation of Trinity ET-Plus Guardrail end pieces.

Guardrails Linked to Deaths in Several Lawsuits

Five deaths and more injuries have already been blamed on the malfunctioning guardrails. The lawsuits claim that Trinity changed the design of the end cap to reduce the size of a channel behind the cap from five inches to four. That one inch difference causes the guardrail to spear the vehicle that impacts it, rather than pushing the guardrail out and away from the vehicle, as was intended. Courts recently found that, by modifying these pieces, and keeping that modification secret, Trinity defrauded the government.

Request a Free Case Evaluation with a Pennsylvania Product Liability Attorney

Handler, Henning & Rosenberg has an experienced team to represent anyone injured by a defective or dangerous product. We can fight tooth and nail to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries, pain and suffering, out-of-pocket expenses, and medical bills.

There are time limits to file guardrail lawsuits, so don’t delay. Contact our firm today! We have offices in Hanover, York, Carlisle, Harrisburg, and Lancaster.