Tires are hard-working components of our car. They are continuously in contact with hard, hot road surface. Extreme temperature chances and friction could degrade the condition of your tires, making malfunctions more likely to happen. Inadequate designs or manufacturing mishaps could cause a large batch of tires to become inappropriate for prolonged usage. We have seen recalls of some tire models after a series of complaints that are lodged by customers. Even if the design is nearly flawless and the manufacturing process is adequate, some tires could have hidden defects. These defects could remain unnoticed until accidents happen. When it is suspected that accidents or injuries are caused by defective tires, then you may bring product liability lawsuits against the tire manufacturer. For the tire to perform properly, adequate compositions of materials should be present in the belt, tire tread, sidewall, bead and the body of the tire.
The body of your tire is essentially layers of fabric, which is covered by rubber. The strength of your tires are determined by the steel cable known as the bead, which is enclosed by rubber. The sidewall is essential to keep your tire together. When tires are inflated, the sidewall offers lateral support. Tire treads should provide good traction and your car won’t slide in motion. If you have steel-belted radial tires, they are strengthened by steel belts, so punctures are less likely to happen.
Tire manufacturers are expected to provide products with proper safety level and traction. However, tires can be defective due to design or manufacturing issues. Many times tire defects won’t cause accidents, but complete failure could happen during high-speed driving. When it happens, car owners could bring the product liability claim against the tire maker. Liability claim could be based on the likelihood of breach of warranty, strict liability and negligence. A common type of tire defect is tread separation. This happens when the adhesion between rubber and steel belt is inadequate. So, it is not possible to create a functional and strong tire. In this situation, tire blowout could happen and drivers could lose control of their car, especially if they are driving at very high speed.
In the case of potential strict liability, the defendant or the tire manufacturer is suspected of breaching their obligation to make their products safe to use. It means, the manufacturer may fail to make their products free of any dangerous element. All legal claims for tire defect liability must be filed within a certain time. The time limit is known as the statute of limitations. You should know that each state has different time limits on the liability claim. The time period could vary between one to six years. The statute of limitations start from the moment accident and injuries occur due to the suspected tire defect. In other states, the statute of limitations starts when the plaintiff officially discovers the accident and the injury. Plaintiff is expected to recover adequate compensation for personal injury and property damage, which should cover much more than the costs of car damages and medical expenses.