A Pueblo family has filed a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company in the U.S. District Court for Western Oklahoma, alleging that a defect in the roofs of 1999-2016 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks caused the death of Steven Horn, a husband and father of two, in a rollover accident in March 2025.
The lawsuit, filed by law firms Hagens Berman and Brooks on behalf of Jamie Horn, Steven’s widow, claims that Ford was aware of the alleged roof crush defect in millions of Super Duty trucks but failed to disclose it to consumers. The defect allegedly caused Horn’s death when his Ford F-350 pickup truck rolled over on an Oklahoma highway due to a gust of wind. The driver-side roof collapsed during the rollover, crushing and killing Horn.
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit
The lawsuit states that Ford knew about the dangers of rollover accidents and the importance of strong vehicle roofs in minimizing serious injuries. Despite this knowledge, Ford allegedly weakened the roof structure of Super Duty trucks to save on labor and tooling costs. The lawsuit claims that Ford downgraded or removed key structural features of the roof design over nearly a decade to cut costs, resulting in roofs that did not meet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards.
“When the Horns bought their Super Duty, Ford already knew that Super Duty roofs were collapsing in rollover accidents,” the lawsuit states. “Ford knew, and it had been hiding this defect from consumers for years.”
Horn’s widow and daughter, who were seated on the passenger side of the F-350, survived the accident by crawling out of the vehicle. The lawsuit argues that this incident demonstrates that when the roof doesn’t crush, occupants can survive rollovers without catastrophic injuries.
Ford’s Response and Legal Action
Ford officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the company’s policy of not commenting on ongoing litigation. However, the lawsuit details alleged internal testing and safety evaluations by Ford that show the company was aware of the risks associated with weak roofs in rollover accidents.
Attorney Jacob Berman, leading the case, stated, “As stated in our lawsuit, Mr. Horn is dead because Ford wanted to save a few dollars per truck. We intend to hold Ford accountable under the full extent of the law for what we believe is blatant negligence that led to his wrongful death and robbed this family of a father and husband.”
Hagens Berman represents other families who have lost loved ones due to the alleged roof crush defect in Super Duty pickup trucks and has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of owners of these vehicles nationwide.
