Michelin Compensates Paralyzed Man after Tread Separation

On behalf of the 27-year-old passenger of a vehicle that crashed following the failure of a rear tire, The Ammons Law Firm has concluded a lawsuit against Michelin. As the vehicle traveled down an Oklahoma highway, the tread of its left rear tire separated from the tire’s carcass. The sudden tire failure sent the vehicle off the roadway where it rolled over multiple times. The passenger sustained head and spinal cord injuries and was rendered permanently, a quadriplegic.

The tire that came apart was a Uniroyal Tiger Paw Freedom. Rob Ammons claimed in the lawsuit that the failed tire was defectively designed and manufactured by Michelin. The allegations included that Michelin used old, dried-out materials to manufacture the tire, that the tire’s belts were not properly placed during its assembly, and that adequate bonding of the tire’s components was not achieved during its manufacture because of a deficient curing process. Ammons also alleged that the tire was designed with a low top belt to tread width ratio, resulting in increased stress on the tire during its use, and without safety features known to both improve durability and prevent tread separation failures.

Medical expenses incurred by the man totaled approximately $1.15 million while the costs of meeting future treatment and care needs for the remainder of his life were projected at an additional $5.73 million.

“Manufacturers know what it takes to ensure that the fatigue life of a tire exceeds its tread life. When harm is caused because these companies have chosen not to apply that knowledge in building tires they sell to the American public, they have to be held accountable,” Ammons says.

The Ammons Law Firm has a nationwide personal injury practice focusing on tire defects, truck accidents, rollovers, consumer protection and product liability, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, post-collision fires, seat belt defects, airbag defects, and plant explosions.