Defects in tire design and manufacturing errors can result in tire blowouts and tread separations. A tire blowout or tire tread separation can ultimately lead to serious motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and bicycle accidents.
If you were hurt in a car accident that was caused by tire defects and failures, contact a Chicago tire defect lawyer today at (312) 372-8893 to schedule a free consultation. Our product defect and product liability attorneys handle cases in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. We work hard to hold negligent auto parts manufacturers accountable so you can recover maximum compensation for your injury.
The Impact of Defective Tire Recalls on Chicago Product Liability Claims
In the 1990s and early 2000s, safety advocates and experts brought to the federal government and the public’s attention the dangerous combination of Firestone Wilderness AT, ATX, and ATX II tires and Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles (SUVs). The propensity of these Firestone tires to fail at highway speeds led to an alarming number of rollovers and other motor vehicle accidents involving catastrophic injuries and death.
Bridgestone/Firestone eventually recalled millions of these tires. Congress responded by passing the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act, which intends to increase consumer safety by requiring tire manufacturers and auto manufacturers, among other things, to report possible tire safety defects to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In the years since, millions of defective tires have been recalled by tire manufacturers, including Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and Michelin, to name just a few.
If you believe a recalled tire contributed to your accident, a Chicago tire defect lawyer can help you determine whether you have a valid product liability claim.
How Aging Tires Put Drivers at Risk of Serious Car Accidents in Chicago
Tires are made of rubber and, as with any rubber product, degrade over time. The tread wears out, the rubber begins to crack (both internally and externally), and the tires generally become weaker, which makes them more prone to catastrophic failure.
Some tire manufacturers and vehicle manufacturers have started to advise their customers that tires should be taken out of service after five or six years, which is good (but long-overdue) advice. Still, tire manufacturers and auto manufacturers have done a generally poor job of communicating advice regarding tire aging to consumers.
Specific and detailed warnings should be provided with expiration dates on tire sidewalls so that every owner of a tire knows when the tire should be replaced, regardless of tread depth.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by an aging or degraded tire, an experienced tire defect attorney in Chicago can help you hold the responsible manufacturer accountable.
Tire Design Flaws and Manufacturing Defects That Lead to Product Liability Claims
In addition to aging, tires can fail due to design flaws or manufacturing flaws, such as the failure to include a cap ply on steel-belted radial tires and poor belt adhesion.
Our Chicago Tire Defect Lawyers Are Ready to Help You Recover Compensation
The tire defect attorneys at Gill Ports Hoste LLC work with a team of experts, including tire experts, engineers, and accident reconstructionists, to thoroughly investigate motor vehicle accidents that involve tire failure.
Our team of Chicago tire defect lawyers is committed to prosecuting all those meritorious cases against negligent tire manufacturers, auto manufacturers, and/or tire retailers where we find that serious injuries are due to defective tires.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident that involved a tire blowout or tire failure, contact a tire defect attorney in Chicago today at (312) 372-8893 for a free case evaluation.