Engine Failure problems of the 1996 Dodge Dakota

I have a 1996 Dodge Dakota pickuup truck that experienced engine failure at less than 60,000 miles. The cause for this engine failure was inadequate oiling because of sludge in the bottom of the oil pan. I bought the vehicle used from a car dealer with approximately 33,000 miles on it and have maintined it properly since that time. I and the mechanic I took it to believe that part of the reason for sludge accumulation in the oil pan is poor oil pan design. The way the drain plub is situated it doesn't allow for complete drainage of the oil during an oil change. This problem is probably aggravated by the fact that this vehicle is 4-wheel drive and the sludge gets resuspended with off-road use on steep terrain or rough roads. On conferring with an attorney, she suggested about the only legal recourse is if it occurred in a number of situations so I am looking for records of related incidents. My mechanic indicated he had one other similar case. Although this did not cause a catastrophic failure, it could have if I hadn't caught the problem in time.