Tire Defects

Most Americans drive thousands of miles on their tires each year as they commute, run errands, take trips, and complete business. While most drivers are conscientious about replacing old and worn looking tires that might pose a threat, many drivers are unaware of the potential defects of seemingly “healthy” looking tires. Tire defects, which are not often visible to the untrained eye, can pose the serious threat of tire failure, which may precipitate or exacerbate the damage and injuries that occur during motor vehicle accidents.

Tire failure can be caused by a number of tire defects including thread separation, tire blowout, tire or rim explosion, and other defects. In many cases of tire failure resulting injury, the tire makers and manufacturers have been found responsible for creating a product that is not strong enough to retain its integrity on the roads. Tire makers have a duty to implement sound tire design, make overall vehicle design and control systems work in tandem with tire systems, and use stringent production and inspection processes to prevent cases of tire failure. The inability to take such safety measures may make these entities liable for damage caused by defective tires.

Furthermore, tire failure can be the result of negligence made on behalf of tire installation, repair, and maintenance professionals. The following instances of negligence by such parties can contribute to tire failure:

• under-inflation
• overloading
• installing old tires
• excessive wear
• inadequate inspections
• faulty repair
• tire mismatching

In cases where such negligence resulted in serious harm caused by tire failure, the victims of such accidents may be able to seek compensation from the responsible parties.

Tire failure is extremely dangerous on the road because it can cause a driver and their vehicle to lose control, which often leads to car accidents with other vehicles or objects. Tire failure also increases the risk of rollover, which poses more of a threat in SUVs because they are less stable vehicles.

Several massive tire recalls have been made in recent decades due to defect tires produced by seemingly reputable companies, including Firestone and Bridgestone. While this has helped to protect the lives of many drivers and passengers, recalls alone are not sufficient to protect the public. Tire makers must be held accountable when they fail to make a product that keeps us safe on the roads or worse actually causes us harm. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving tire failure, please contact the qualified and experienced attorneys at Injury Lawyer Omaha to learn more about your legal rights and options through a free and confidential consultation.