Defective Tires |
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What are defective tires?Tires are critical to the safety of a motor vehicle, because they are the contact points with the driving surface. When manufactured and maintained properly, tires are one of the strongest components of a vehicle. Tires can withstand high speeds, thousands of pounds of external pressure, and significant impact without failing. When a tire does burst or deflate unexpectedly, however, it can have disastrous consequences. Tire blowouts at high speeds can cause vehicles to swerve suddenly. This can lead to collision with other vehicles or obstacles. In some cases, particularly in vehicles with high centers of gravity, tire blowouts can cause rollover. Rollover accidents are particularly treacherous because of the possibility of occupants being thrown from vehicles or crushed by collapsing roofs. Tire failure is usually caused by poor maintenance or faulty manufacturing. Tire maintenance is the responsibility of the vehicle owner or driver. Owner’s manuals generally provide directions for proper tire inflation, rotation, and replacement. Faulty manufacturing is usually to blame in cases of tire failure where the instructions were followed. Tires that are poorly designed, shoddily produced, or improperly stored before installation are considered defective. Defective tires can be the result of a number of factors. Defective tires may be designed with a weakness or flaw that was not intended. Defects can occur due to the materials used – either due to lack of durability, material incompatibility, or other unanticipated failures. Problem can also derive from production processes. Another culprit is improper storage – tires are sometimes stored in places where they could sustain structural damage or weaken over time due to the elements or temperature. Whatever the origin, some defective tires may never fail, while others can cause serious injury or death. Firestone tire recall informationIn 2000 a defective tire recall was issued for Firestone ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires. This tire recall received quite a bit of notoriety because it involved Bridgestone/Firestone, one of the biggest names in the tire industry, and Ford Motor Co. In addition, numerous accident reports were filed in the late 1990s involving SUV rollovers due to tread separation. This issue was not brought onto the national stage, however, until a Houston news agency ran a story about the possible connection between fatal rollover accidents and Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires. News quickly spread, and reports of nearly identical accidents began to flood in. It is somewhat interesting to note that Ford had already issued a recall of these tires in certain countries in South America by the time the problem was discovered here in the U.S. Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford eventually recalled some 14.4 million defective tires. Unfortunately, the Firestone ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires produced at a Decatur, Illinois factory have been linked to over 300 accidents. A number of defective product personal injury lawsuits have been filed against both companies. Ford claims that the tires were defective and has terminated its business relationship with Bridgestone/Firestone. On the other hand, Firestone claims that Ford did not recommend the correct tire pressure, and that low tire pressure was to blame for the tread separation issues. Regardless of who was responsible, it was a major blow to the respective images of both companies. If you or someone you love has been injured in a tire failure accident by a Ford SUV outfitted with Firestone tires, contact a defective tire attorney today. Defective tire accidents and crashworthiness issuesIf you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, you may have a crashworthiness case, regardless of whether it involved tire failure. Crashworthiness cases involve accidents where vehicle passive safety features fail to protect occupants involved in accidents. This is likely to be the case in an SUV rollover accident, considering that most SUVs do not have roll bars or significant reinforcement to prevent roof crush injuries. If you or someone you love was injured in a crashworthiness-related manner, contact a crashworthiness lawyer right away. Find a Crashworthiness Lawyer in Any State: |
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