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What Some Jury Members and Clients
This was my first case to be on a jury. I really connected to the attorneys and the family."
Bennett cares for the well being of my children and me, and is truly sincere. During the two years of my lawsuit and throughout the trial, Bennett was there to answer any questions or concerns I had. I am grateful for all of his hard work, advice, and support.
The Ammons Law Firm believed in my late husband and what I was fighting for. They brought out the truth, and brought justice to his name. The friendships that were made with the attorneys of the Ammons Law Firm will be life long. I could not have done this without them."
-Candee P., Client, 82.5 million dollar verdict
"I was totally happy with Rob Ammons and the lawyers at the Ammons Law Firm. Rob Ammons went the extra mile. I am beside myself. I feel so good with the settlement they obtained."
-Christopher R., Client
"Thank you for everything, this [incident] has been the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone. But thank God we have a great support system. Again thank you sooo much from the bottom of our hearts."
-Monica S., Client
-Teressa H., Jury member
How Old Are Your Tires?
With the summer months upon us one of the main concerns drivers should have is for their tires. When tires fail, the result can be devastating injury and even death. The most common results of a high speed tire failure include rollovers , collisions, loss of vehicle control and post collision fires.
Tires can fail for a vast number of reasons including:
- Uneven tire tread wear
- Age
- No printed expiration dates
- Heat
- Manufacturer defects
Checking for Uneven Tire Tread Wear
Tires are built with wear bars (flat spots) that can be found in the tread grooves. These wear bars are there to visually indicate wear. If the tire tread is worn down so the flat spots are flush with the surrounding tread, this indicates the tire is worn out and should be immediately replaced. If cords are showing through the rubber, the tire is not only unsafe to drive on but most likely on the verge of failure. If a tire has bulges, deep cracks or the tread is separating from the casing this can also indicate impending failure.
Tread wear is most easily measured by using a penny. Place the penny with Lincoln's head upside down in a groove between the treads. If you can't see the top of Lincoln's lead, the tire is okay and still has some wear left in it. If the top of Lincoln's head is flush with the tread, the tread depth is 2/32-inch (1.6mm) or less, indicating the tire is worn out and needs to be replaced.
Some experts now say the same test should now be done with a quarter. If the top of Washington's head is flush with the tread when you place a quarter upside down in a groove, the tread depth is 4/32-inch (3.2mm). Though the tire still has some tread wear left, braking, traction and handling are significantly reduced compared to a tire with more tread on it.
Because of this, many experts now recommend replacing tires when the tread depth is worn down to 4/32-inch or less.
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Tire Expiration Dates
The Rubber Manufacturers Association , explains tire expiration dates may be hard to determine because there are numerous factors that can affect tire aging.
Many tire experts believe printed tire expiration dates would be worthwhile. Tire manufacturers worry consumers won't pay any attention to an expiration warning anyway and would not replace old tires with new ones. The concern among industry insuders is that people may think the tire industry is trying to pressure the public into buying more tires by stamping an expiration date on them.
Tire makers say expiration dates would complicate their distribution systems because new tires often sit on shelves for two years or more. Tire industry manufacterers say tires vary in chemical makeup, so one expiration date would not fit all tires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says additional research is needed to come up with an appropriate aging test for tires.
Translating Tire Date CodesWhat's the best way to determine the age of the tires on your vehicle? Look at the last group of digits in the DOT manufature code on the sidewall of your tire, these numbers indicate the date of manufacture. The number usually is stamped in a recessed rectangle. This DOT code indicates the tire manufacterer, the tire's date of manufacture and place of origin. The last group of digits in the code is the date code that tells when the tire was made.
Before 2000, the date code had three digits. Since 2000, it has had four. The first two digits are the week of the year (01 = the first week of January). The third digit (for tires made before 2000) is the year (1 = 1991). For most tires made after 2000, the third and fourth digits are the year (04 = 2004).
The date of manufacture is essential information for car owners and tire buyers because tires deteriorate even if they are not used. European automobile manufacturers recommend replacing ANY tire that is more than six (6) years old, including the spare tire. No such recommendations have yet been made by domestic vehicle manufacturers.
Back to News and Legal Resources
Rob Ammons is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, in addition to being Board Certified in Civil Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Rob Ammons’ law practice, The Ammons Law Firm, is located in Houston, Texas. The Ammons Law Firm practice is exclusively personal injury law, handling such cases as: tire defects , oil rig explosions , truck accidents , plant explosions, refinery accidents, wrongful death , post-collision fires , seat belt defects, airbag defects , SUV rollovers and workplace accident injury.
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How To Read A Tire Sidewall
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September 7, 2010
On Labor Day: Remember Workers Safety
This Labor Day, America is facing a dizzying array of problems, none more acute than the twin crises of how poorly we treat our workers . In case anyone forgot, let's remember some of this year's grisly headlines:
* "Massey Accident, Worst Since 1970, Claims 29 Miners"
* "Families bid farewell to 11 men killed in Gulf rig explosion"
* "5 workers killed in explosion at Middleton, Conn., power plant"
Filed under Workplace Accident Injury Click here for more
September 3, 2010
Complaints Ignored, Ex-Egg Farm Workers Say
U.S. Agriculture Department employees working full-time at two Iowa egg farms at the center of a salmonella outbreak and massive recall ignored complaints about conditions at one site, two former employees say.
Filed under Product Defects Click here for more
September 1, 2010
Older Jeep Grand Cherokees Being Investigated for Fuel Tank Defects
AutoBlog has an interesting post today about a study of some Jeep Grand Cherokees for a particular fuel tank defect .The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees over concerns that their rear-mounted gas tank may be prone to rupture in the event of an accident. The agency has recorded 44 instances where a ruptured fuel tank may have contributed to a total of 55 deaths resulting from fire.
Filed under Product Defects Click here for more
August 30, 2010
Should Shippers Share Blame in Trucking Accidents?
Whenever someone is
injured on the highway and a truck is involved often the driver
shoulders the lions share of the blame or the owner of the truck.
But what about the shipper? Should it bear any responsibility in cases involving an unsafe piece of equipment or unqualified driver?
Filed under Trucking Accidents Click here for more
August 26, 2010
Major Meat Recall in U.S. Announced
(CNN) -- Zemco Industries in Buffalo, New York, has recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of deli meat that may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause a potentially fatal disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.
Filed under Product Defects Click here for more
August 10, 2010
Honda is Recalling 400K Vehicles
WASHINGTON (AP) - Honda Motor Co. is recalling the popular Accord and Civic passenger cars from the 2003 model year to address problems with an ignition switch that could allow the key to be removed without the transmission being shifted into park.
Filed under Product Defects Click here for more
August 9, 2010
CBS News Talks to Rob Ammons About New School Bus Seat Belt Law
Christopher Reeve Foundation Making Strides for Victims of SCI
Even though Christopher Reeve , arguably one of the most famous survivors of spinal cord injury , is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. One of his foundation projects builds on the findings of another member, Dr. Reggie Edgerton who in his research into the effects of activity and locomotor training on recovery discovered that the production of two neurotrophins or growth factors -- NT-3 and BDNF -- increased after training.
Filed under Spinal Cord Injury Click here for more
US Truck Safety Check Figures Announced
US - CANADA - MEXICO - Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Roadcheck 2010 are a reliable indicator as to the attitude of truck and bus drivers and operators and the figures show that the industry is maintaining the state of health it achieved last year when the statistics showed record low ‘out-of-service' rates.
Filed under Trucking accidents attorney Click here for more
July 2, 2010
Tire Defect Attorney Bennett Midlo Talks to Fox News About the Dangers of Aging Tires
Ammons Law Firm attorney Bennett Midlo appeared on Fox news this morning to talk about the dangers of aging tires and how to determine if your tires are too old to drive on this holiday weekend.
Click here to watch the news clip.
Filed under Tire Defects Click here for more
June 9, 2010
Plant explosion attorney Rob Ammons talks to Fox news about his landmark $82.5 million dollar verdict for the family of a man killed in a Cleburne natural gas explosion
June 7, 2010
Natural Gas Facility Explodes Near Cleburne, In Johnson County
A natural gas facility has exploded near Cleburne in Johnson County killing three, according to the Cleburne city manager.
At least 10 people are missing, he said.
A lot of people have been transported to hospital with burn injuries.
June 7, 2010
Rough Ride for Bus Safety
Each red dot marks a location in Houston where a bus accident took place last year.
According to the Houston Chronicle , Metro buses were involved in more than 1,000 collisions last year — hundreds of which were deemed preventable or resulted in damages and injuries to riders, drivers and pedestrians.
June 3, 2010
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May 31, 2010
Car Tire Defect Lawyer Rob Ammons Tells CBS News Tires At Risk on Memorial Day
