A Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal lawsuit may be an option for people who were injured, or the families of those who were killed, in an accident involving the reportedly dangerous and unsafe guardrail end terminals. According to reports, the X-LITE End Terminal may have been responsible for at least four deaths in Tennessee, including the death of a 17-year-old girl. Affected individuals and their families may be eligible to seek compensation with the help of a defective guardrail lawsuit attorney.
If you have been in an accident involving a highway guardrail or guardrail end terminal, contact Attorney Group today for more information. We provide free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions and inform you of your options. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is an X-LITE End Terminal Guardrail?
Highway guardrails are used to prevent vehicles from running off the road, hitting a roadside obstacles or veering into oncoming traffic. Most guardrails are designed to deflect an oncoming car or absorb the impact, and end terminals are meant to crumple upon impact as well. However, some types of guardrails and end terminals have been reportedly responsible for severe injuries and death to drivers and passengers, including the X-LITE End Terminal manufactured by Lindsay Corporation.
The X-LITE End Terminal utilizes many standard guardrail components and is available with steel or wooden posts or composite blockouts, which are used to reduce or minimize a vehicle snagging on the posts should an impact occur. According to the company website, X-LITE End Terminals can be interchanged easily for flared and roadside applications, potentially resulting in significant savings, including inventory, repair and maintenance costs.
Accident Involving X-LITE End Terminal Kills Girl on Tennessee Highway
The X-LITE’s safety was originally questioned when a 17-year-old girl died instantly after her vehicle impaled a guardrail equipped with an X-LITE End Terminal on I-75 in Tennessee on November 1, 2016. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the guardrail had been removed from the approved list one month before her death.
Four months after the fatal accident, the girl’s parents were erroneously sent a bill from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for almost $3000 to replace the device, leaving her father shocked and angry at the TDOT. The agency has reportedly stated that the bill was sent by mistake and that they will begin removing most of the terminals on Tennessee roadways at spots where the speed limit exceeds 45 miles per hour.
X-LITE End Terminal Reportedly Linked to Three Other Fatalities
Since 2016, at least three other people have reportedly died in accidents involving X-LITE End Terminal guardrails. According to a report by WBIR.com, the TDOT issued the removal citing “concerns about potential long-term performance issues” when struck at speeds above 45 miles per hour. On June 29, 2016, two people were killed in an accident involving an X-LITE End Terminal on I-40 in Cumberland County, west of Knoxville, Tennessee. One person was killed near the I-75/I-24 interchange in Hamilton County, Tenessee when an X-LITE impaled their vehicle. Roughly 1,000 X-LITE guardrail ends reportedly remain on roads and highways in Tennessee.
Guardrail Lawsuit Claims
To date, there have been no Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal lawsuits filed as a result of injuries or deaths associated with the guardrail end terminals. Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal lawsuit attorneys are unsure if lawsuits against the company will be filed at this time. Despite reported issues with the end terminal, Lindsay Corporation promotes its X-LITE Guardrail End Terminal as featuring “excellent impact performance at an affordable price.”
The X-LITE isn’t the only guardrail terminal to face scrutiny. In October 2014, Trinity Industries was found guilty of defrauding the federal government after the manufacturer allegedly neglected to inform the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) of changes it had made to its ET-Plus rail endcap. Several lawsuits were filed against Trinity Industries alleging severe injuries, including broken bones, loss of limbs and death.
How a Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal Lawsuit Can Help
Product makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a product maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by a defective Lindsay X-LITE End Terminal may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those killed may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
