The Nevada Supreme Court is upholding the $32.2 million defective tire
verdict against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in the tire blowout
accident that killed three victims and injured seven others. Goodyear
had argued that the jury award was excessive. However, the court says
that the loss of life and serious injuries justify the amount.
The tragic car accident happened on August 16, 2004 when a tire blew out
on a car going from Nevada to Kansas. The vehicle overturned on Interstate
70 close to Moab, Utah. Frank Enriquez, Evangelina Tapia, and Andres Torres
died from their injuries and their guardians and relatives sued Goodyear,
Ford Motor Company, and Valley View Hitch & Truck Rental for wrongful
death. The latter two companies have already settled their cases with
the plaintiffs.
Tire Defects
Tire blowouts and tire failure can result in car accidents with catastrophic
consequences for those involved. Tire manufacturers know that they must
design and make their tires properly because certain flaws can result
in tread separation, tire blowouts, single-vehicle crashes, rollover accidents,
or multi-vehicle collisions. Installation errors and improper maintenance
can also lead to these types of car crashes.
With summer here, our tire defect attorneys want to remind motorists that
hotter roads can increase the chances of a tire blowout happening. This
can cause injury to the people riding in the vehicle with you, pedestrians,
and/or the occupants of other vehicles.
There are steps that you can take to decrease the chances of a tire blowout,
including:
- Ensure that your tires are properly inflated
- Slow down when on a highway
- Be gentler than usual with your vehicle when turning corners or on curves
- Replace old or worn out tires
- Watch out for any road debris or defects that can damage your tires
$32 million judgment against Goodyear in fatal crash upheld, Las Vegas
Sun, July 2, 2010
Extreme Heat Can Cause Tire Blowouts, Star Tribune, June 27, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Tire Safety Information, NHTSA
Why Tires Fail, AAICar.com
