A tragic single-vehicle crash that occurred in Laughlin on Sunday has claimed the lives of three individuals, as confirmed by the Nevada Highway Patrol. The incident was attributed to a tire failure, leading to a rollover on state Route 163. The passengers, Raymond Guzman (82) and Mary Guzman (84) from Los Angeles, lost their lives in the accident, while a third unidentified woman (77) also succumbed to her injuries at the scene. The driver, an 85-year-old man, was airlifted to University Medical Center and is currently in stable condition. The Nevada Highway Patrol has classified this incident as the 26th fatal crash in their southern command area.
The fatal crash involved a 2000 GMC Safari traveling east on state Route 163. At approximately 1:40 p.m., the left rear tire of the vehicle experienced a failure, causing the GMC to spin in a clockwise direction. Subsequently, the vehicle veered off the road and overturned in a desert area adjacent to the highway. The precise extent of the driver’s injuries has not been disclosed by the troopers.
Raymond Guzman and Mary Guzman, both elderly passengers from Los Angeles, tragically lost their lives in the rollover. The Clark County coroner’s office has not identified the third deceased woman. The driver of the GMC Safari, an 85-year-old man, sustained injuries requiring transportation to the University Medical Center. While his condition has been described as “stable,” further details regarding the nature and severity of his injuries have not been released.
The tire manufacturer that produced the rear tire involved in this crash may be responsible for this tragic loss of life.
I am saddened to learn of three lives lost in a rollover car accident caused by a sudden tire failure. This very kind of crash occurs far more frequently than people realize, and families dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one must recognize that the vehicle’s driver may not be at fault.
Single-vehicle rollover accidents are difficult for surviving families because it often seems the crash was an unavoidable accident. However, many single-vehicle rollover accidents caused by tire failures result from defects in the tire itself that lead to the tire blowing out prematurely. When this happens, the tire manufacturer fails to protect innocent lives and must be held accountable.
Our firm handles cases like these across the country, and many of our clients find solace in knowing that they can hold the manufacturer responsible for their losses and help protect other families from suffering the same grief and sorrow.
Three accidents come to mind that our firm is currently handling. In New Mexico, a 25-year-old woman lost her life when the right rear tire of a 2002 Chevrolet S10 failed, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to roll multiple times. In Reeves County, Texas, a 2015 Ford Transit van experienced a right rear tire tread separation, leading to a fatal crash that claimed the lives of three individuals and injured two others. Another accident in the same location involved a 2001 Ford Explorer, where the left rear tire failure caused the driver to lose control and the vehicle to roll over multiple times, resulting in the death of a young man.
These incidents, like the one here, highlight the devastating consequences that can occur when tire failures lead to the loss of vehicle control on the road. The victims killed in these accidents lost their lives due to failures in the tire design and manufacturing process. Our job is to hold the manufacturer accountable for these failures to help prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.
While these cases are difficult, they provide grieving families with answers to their questions and lead to change. This accident will need to be investigated by trained tire defect lawyers before determining whether this tire failed because of a defect or some other cause. If the tire was defective, the families impacted can determine how they wish to move forward in the wake of their tragic loss.
Until then, I offer my deepest condolences to all impacted by this crash and pray for their peace during this difficult time of loss.
*****
The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
