Wangen v. Ford Motor Co., 97 Wis. 2d 260, 294 N.W.2d 437 (1980)

Ford Motor Company knew that its 1976 Mustangs had a gas tank defect but did not fix it or warn consumers about it. The defect killed and injured people. Ford was sued for products liability, a doctrine that holds a manufacturer liable for injuries caused by placing a defective product in the hands of a consumer. In this opinion, Abrahamson surveyed the history of punitive damages in Wisconsin and around the country and established that punitive damages may be recovered in a products liability case.