A mother and daughter are suing Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations for Texas auto products liability. The plaintiffs, Staci and Joanna Mathes, blame a faulty spare tire for the 2010 SUV rollover crash that they left them with serious injuries. The tire had been installed by a service station after the original tire blew out.
According to their Texas tire defect lawsuit, which the plaintiffs filed in federal district court, their 2000 Ford Excursion ended up skidding across the median and through incoming traffic on US 287 close to Bellevue because the front left wheel blew out. Staci had to be flown to the hospital while her daughter, Joanna, was transported by ambulance.
They are accusing Bridgestone of negligent design, manufacture, marketing,
assembly, and testing. Although the company recalled the Firestone Steeltex
AT tire in early 2004, the Matheses contend that the defendant, Ford,
and the local service station never notified them. The latter two, who
are no longer defendants of this lawsuit, settled with the plaintiffs
under confidential terms.
Meantime, Bridgestone contends that it is not at fault because when the
tire left the facility years ago it do so after having met industry standards.
They believe that the Matheses should have exercised better care.
Tire Defect Lawsuits
Common Tire Defects:
- Design flaws
- Material flaws
- Tread separation
- Tire Blowout
- Bead failure
- Manufacturing flaws
- Design flaws
- Installation errors
- Repair flaws
- Production issues
- Incorrect tire storage
- Manufacturing defects
Tire Blowouts
Tire blowouts can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, which can lead to the auto going off the road, rolling over, and/or getting in the way with and colliding with incoming traffic. SUVs, with their high gravity centers, are already innately prone to rollover crashes, which is why their manufacturers and parts makers must exercise the necessary care to make sure that the tires used with these vehicles are free from any defects.
Do not be intimidated by filing a SUV rollover lawsuit claim or lawsuit. You or your loved one may have serious, costly and life-altering injuries and there may be more than one party that can and should be held liable.
More than likely, the party or parties accused of negligence will try to prove that the fault belongs elsewhere. This can be daunting to face as a plaintiff, especially when you are going up against a large company. This is just one more reason why you need an experienced auto products liability lawyer standing by and for you.
_______________________
- Pair claim tire caused rollover, TimesRecordNews, November 18, 2012
- Safety Recalls, NHTSA
- Don’t tread lightly on winter tire safety, Click Orlando, December 27, 2011
Statute of Limitations
Depending on where the accident happened in the US, the statute of limitations for filing your auto defect lawsuit may vary. However, the sooner you get help, the sooner your lawyer can start helping you prepare your case, including gathering evidence, speaking to witnesses, and proving liability.
