Determining who is responsible for a tire blowout accident
San Antonio has suffered from a growing number of fatal accidents over the past years. In many cases, these accidents are caused by negligence and driver error. However, we have been seeing an increasing number of accidents caused by factors outside the driver’s control, like sudden tire failures.
If you or a loved one suffered a personal injury and believe that a tire blowout caused it, trained professionals will need to investigate the accident to determine if you are entitled to compensation. When a manufacturer or repair company is responsible for the accident, you have a right to bring a legal claim against the negligent party to recover compensation for your injuries.
It’s essential to work with experienced and knowledgeable lawyers to identify the responsible parties and hold them accountable for your injuries. Tire defect litigation is a complex area of the law, and you will need an attorney with experience holding manufacturers liable. At The Ammons Law Firm, we have held all major tire manufacturers accountable for defective tires and know exactly what needs to be done to recover the compensation you deserve.
Poor Repair Services Causing Tire Blowout Accidents
A sudden tire blowout may be caused by a repair or maintenance job performed incorrectly by a service technician. Service companies are required to perform tire repair jobs correctly, and when they fail to do so, a tire may suffer a sudden blowout and lead to a serious accident. For example, mechanics may install directional tires backward, which causes the vehicle to hydroplane when the roads are slick. All directional tires need to face forward with the arrow aimed toward the front of the vehicle. Failing to install the tire properly can result in serious accidents and injuries.
Additionally, service companies are required to inform customers of potential tire issues to allow the consumer an opportunity to fix the tire. Failing to properly inspect and notify consumers of issues that should have been discovered in routine maintenance may subject the service company to liability. This is especially true with 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles subject to strict maintenance standards.
Most consumers are unaware that an accident would have been prevented had the service company provided an adequate warning. At The Ammons Law Firm, we will inspect your tire and past maintenance records to determine if your accident could have been prevented with proper notice. If it is determined that a company’s oversite was the root cause of your crash, we will hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries.
Tire Defects Resulting in Tire Blowout Accidents
Another potential cause of a tire blowout accident is a tire defect. Tire defects are failures within the tire itself that render it unreasonably dangerous for its intended use. Tire defects affect tires of all types and sizes and from all manufacturers. In fact, at The Ammons Law Firm, We have held nearly every major tire manufacturer in the world liable for defective tires produced at one or more of their facilities.
Tire defect accidents are particularly dangerous because they happen without warning. Tire defects are often latent errors within the structure of the tire that cannot be discovered during routine maintenance and repair. Because of this, otherwise vigilant drivers are involved in serious accidents despite their best efforts to be safe and prudent drivers. When a tire defect affects the structural integrity of a tire, the tire is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
If your tire suffered a sudden blowout due to a manufacturing defect, you have the right to bring a strict product liability claim against the manufacturer.
Strict product liability claims for defective tires
A strict product liability claim is a legal claim available to injured victims whose injuries were caused by a defective product. In a sudden tire failure accident, the defective product is the tire, and properly proving that the tire was defective subjects the manufacturer to liability for all injuries caused by the crash.
Holding a manufacturer liable under strict product liability requires trained experts who understand tire design and manufacturing. These experts use advanced imaging equipment and engineering to identify and prove that the tire was defective when it left the manufacturer’s control. Because of the complicated nature of these cases, you will need a trained lawyer experienced in tire defect litigation to help you recover the money damages you are owed because of your injuries.
Money damages available in tire blowout accidents
When you or a loved one suffers injuries in a tire-related accident, you are entitled to compensation from the responsible party. Under Texas law, an injured victim is entitled to economic and non-economic damages. The exact monetary damages you may be entitled to depend on the facts and circumstances of your situation and will require a trained lawyer to identify and prove properly.
Economic Damages After a Tire Blowout Accident
Economic damages are damages that involve specific financial losses resulting from an accident. They’re often easy to calculate and include the following:
- Past and future medical costs
- Past and future costs of disability
- Lost income resulting from the accident
- Lost earning capacity
- The cost of replacing damaged vehicles and other property
- Other types of out-of-pocket costs
The legal team at The Ammons Law Firm will help you identify the economic damages you have suffered and ensure the responsible party compensates these expenses.
Non-Economic damages available in tire accidents
Non-economic damages, also known as non-monetary or general damages, compensate accident victims for the personal losses resulting from their injuries. Examples of these damages include the following:
- Pain and suffering, including physical and psychological distress
- Loss of consortium or companionship
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
These damages are more difficult to calculate than economic damages and require skilled advocacy to prove. Because of this, you need lawyers with the experience and resources to prove your damages properly. This is a labor-intensive process that takes careful strategy. At the Ammons Law Firm, we have recovered over $1 billion for our clients primarily because we understand how to properly prove the effects an accident has on the lives of our clients.
Contact our San Antonio Tire Defect Attorneys
At The Ammons Law Firm, we have provided legal services to clients in San Antonio for over 20 years and have handled some of the most significant tire-related accidents in our nation’s history. If you or a loved one were involved in an accident involving a tire in any capacity, our San Antonio tire defect lawyers can help you recover compensation for your injuries.
