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What To Know About Accidents Caused By Tire Failures

Unless you hear the brake pads squealing when you turn the steering wheel of your vehicle or press on the brake when coming to a red light, you don’t think much about the tires on your car. Yet, in 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission estimated that 10,000 vehicle crashes occur every year due to tire failures. Paying closer attention to the tires on your vehicle allows you to prevent accidents as well as know what may have caused the accident, such as running over debris in the road or a tire manufacturer defect.

Types Of Common Tire Failure

Here are the most common types of tire failure:

Bald Tires: When the tread on the tire becomes so warn that it loses grip on the road. Bald tires are especially deadly on wet roads, where the grooves aren’t deep enough to channel water out from beneath the tread.

Under-inflated tires: If tire pressure is too low, too much of the tire’s surface area touches the road, which increases friction. Increased friction can cause the tires to overheat, which can lead to premature wear, tread separation and blowouts.

Blowouts: Occur when your tire comes into contact with something in the road that causes impact damage, when you have overloaded your vehicle, or when there is a small puncture in the tire as the air slowly deflates over time.

Tread separation: Happens when the tread comes off the actual tire. This problem can be dangerous because the tread can be hit by other vehicles and cause a serious car accident.

Accidents Caused By Tire Failures

When the tire fails, you can lose control of your vehicle. The best-case scenario is that you are able to pull your car to the side of the road safely without getting into any accidents. Unfortunately, tire failure can lead a driver to lose control of their car and strike other vehicles, hit pedestrians, slam into stationary objects or roll over the vehicle.

Tire Manufacturer Defects Another Cause For Tire Failure

Tire defects are seldom talked about because accident investigators and analysts often look at the driver as the responsible party for the accident. They will look at the person’s inexperience level, aggressive driving tactics, and poor upkeep of the tires as important factors in placing blame on the driver. They will also consider road conditions, and whether the driver was paying attention and practicing safe driving based on these conditions.

Yet tire defects can happen more often than expected. Something can easily go wrong during the manufacturing process that could lead to tread separation or poor tire quality that causes blowouts and under-inflated tires. When this product failure happens, you can experience car damage and injuries during an accident.

Your Rights When Experiencing Tire Failure Accidents

You can seek out compensation for your injuries if you are in a tire failure accident caused by a manufacturing defect on the tires. In the state of Nevada, you have two years to file a claim from the time that the accident occurs. You can receive compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, current lost wages, and future lost wages if the accident caused you to have a permanent disability that does not allow you to return to work.

The burden will rest with you in proving that the accident was the result of tire failure and the manufacturer sold tires that had a defect. If you failed to properly maintain and service the tires, your case can become more complicated — although you still may be able to prove that the tire manufacturer was at fault through expert reports and testimony provided by an engineer. Normally, you won’t be able to also sue the manufacturer of the car in your case if you are trying to prove that a tire failure caused the accident.

Hiring Legal Representation For Your Tire Failure Case

When it comes to car accidents, you want your rights protected in the event that a tire defect caused your injuries and lost wages. Attorney Eric A. Stovall, LTD, and our team of professional lawyers can provide a consultation to evaluate your case and help you decide what legal recourse is available so you can be compensated for your expenses. Contact us for a free consultation today.

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