Can You Seek Compensation If Your Accident Was Caused By a Tire Blowout?

You might be able to seek compensation if your accident was caused by a tire blowout. If a defective tire was to blame for your crash, you might be able to hold the tire manufacturer liable for your medical treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other accident-related damages.

At D. Miller & Associates, PLLC, our car accident lawyers offer free case evaluations and consultations to Texas crash victims. We can review the circumstances of your accident and help you understand if you may have a case against the tire manufacturer or another liable party. This is the best way to understand if you are eligible for compensation for your losses after a tire blowout. Call 713-850-8600 today for a free consultation.

How Can a Tire Defect Cause a Blowout?

Tire defects can cause a blowout or other catastrophic failure that leads to sudden loss of air pressure. The most common way this occurs is through tread separation. Tread separation happens when:

  • The steel belts that form the body of the tire tear apart;
  • The tread peels away from the rest of the tire; and
  • You experience a blowout.

Tread separation can happen because of a defect that occurred during the design, manufacturing, or installation process. We will need to fully investigate your case to determine if a defect caused your blowout, and understand exactly what happened.

Some of the most common types of defects we uncover include:

  • Poor design that allowed the steel belts to separate;
  • Weak materials or insufficiently mixed rubber compounds;
  • Inadequate safety and quality control testing;
  • Ignored issues with safety or quality control testing; and
  • Careless or negligent quality standards.

If we can show a defect caused your blowout and resulting crash, Texas products liability laws allow us to take legal action against the tire manufacturer.

How Do I Build a Case Against the Tire Manufacturer?

When we take on a tire blowout accident case, we rely on experts and advanced investigative techniques to build a strong case for compensation.

To build your case against the manufacturer, we might:

  • Recover and safeguard the carcass of the tire, your vehicle, and other vehicles involved in the crash;
  • Analyze the tire and damage to your vehicle;
  • Search for other cases related to a blowout of the same type of tire;
  • Enlist the help of a survey team to document the scene, determine where the blowout occurred, and note where the carcass landed in relation to the vehicle;
  • Work with tire engineers who can help us spot any defects in the rubber, explain why the tire failed, and determine if there are any other defects in the tire; and
  • Partner with accident reconstruction specialists who will help us understand how a tire defect could have led to the blowout, the accident, and your injuries.

While this type of investigation can be challenging to complete on your own, it is an integral part of building a strong case that may help you recover compensation. We offer free case reviews and can help you with this process.

What Type of Compensation Could I Recover?

If you win a payout through an insurance claim or lawsuit against the tire manufacturer, you might qualify to collect compensation for a wide variety of damages. These could include:

  • Medical treatment costs;
  • Ongoing care costs;
  • Lost wages;
  • Diminished earning capacity if you can no longer work because of the crash;
  • Repair or replacement of your car;
  • The cost of replacing other damaged personal property;
  • Pain and suffering damages;
  • Wrongful death damages if a blowout caused your family member’s fatal crash; and
  • Punitive damages, in limited cases.

How to Seek Damages From the Tire Manufacturer

In general, there are two ways to seek compensation for your accident-related damages:

  • File an insurance claim based on proof of a tire defect; or
  • File a lawsuit, present your case in court, and ask a judge to determine if you deserve a payout.

In most cases, we begin the process by filing an insurance claim. We approach the tire manufacturer and its insurance company with a demand letter outlining your case and demanding a payout. This could lead to settlement negotiations and may lead to an agreement or out-of-court settlement in your favor.

If the manufacturer refuses to admit there was a defect or otherwise denies your claim, we can usually file a lawsuit against the tire company in an attempt to get compensation.

How Can I Talk to a Texas Tire Blowout Accident Attorney Today?

At D. Miller & Associates, PLLC, we offer free case reviews to the victims of Texas car accidents. If you believe a defective tire caused your blowout and accident, give us a call today at 713-850-8600. We will be glad to evaluate your case for free.