La Salle County, Texas – A man was seriously injured after a tire blowout caused his 18-wheeler to roll over on I-35 near mile marker 45.
The La Salle County Emergency dispatchers received a call around 10 a.m. on Friday that an 18-wheeler fuel tanker had rolled over between mile markers 45 and 46. According to reports, a man in his mid-30s was traveling southbound when his front left tire blew out, causing the truck to lose control and rollover. The truck detached from the tanker unit during the rollover sequence, and both units came to rest in the median.
According to authorities, the driver of the big rig suffered serious injuries and was transported to a San Antonio hospital in critical condition.
Reports indicate the man was properly restrained at the time of the crash.
Tire blowouts are leading to preventable accidents across the state
This is another example of an innocent man wrongfully injured despite his best efforts. This man was at work, making money for his family, engaged in one of our state’s most fundamental jobs. He was properly restrained, and there is no evidence of fault on his part. Yet, despite his best efforts, his truck suffered a front-left steer axle tire failure, leaving him powerless as his truck violently rolled into the center median. He, and his family, deserve answers from the person or company responsible for the crash.
As tire defect attorneys, our job is to identify who is responsible for a tire failure and hold them responsible for the harm caused by their actions. While it may seem that tire failures are outside the control of any one party, this is often not the case. Most tire failures on 18-wheeler trucks happen when someone fails to do their job properly. With the facts currently available, it is impossible to know who that person might be. However, with proper analysis, we can determine if this blowout was bad luck, a result of poor maintenance, or caused by a defect inherent in the tire at the time it left the manufacturer.
As one of the leading firms in tire-related accidents in the country, we have a strong pulse on the current tire market. Unfortunately, we are getting calls across the country from families who lost a loved one because of a front steer axle tire failure. These accidents are especially dangerous because the company and driver have no control or prior knowledge of the defect. Defects affect the internal components of the tire and are only discovered after an accident occurs. However, manufacturers are strictly liable for all harm resulting from this type of accident.
We believe there are at least two brands of steer axle tires currently in production that are defective. This is unacceptable, and these large corporations cannot continue to profit while innocent victims are left dead and seriously injured because of poor manufacturing. The man injured here has a right to pursue recovery from the manufacturer if this tire was defective. Not only does this provide much-needed financial relief to rebuild a life after a life-altering injury, but it holds the manufacturer accountable for their mistakes and leads to the removal of defective tires across the country.
