San Antonio Tire Related Accident Claims Life by San Antonio and Austin Tire Defect Attorney Justin A. Hill
Tire defect cases are a subgroup of automotive products liability. Tire defect cases provide an independent product liability cause of action against the tire manufacturer. But, if they are original equipment on a vehicle, they may also present a claim against the vehicle manufacturer as well. The Ford/Firestone litigation of a few years back brought the issue of tire defects into the forefront of public knowledge. Until then, few people understood that a tire could fail in the normal course of use. The majority of tire cases before and after the Ford/Firestone litigation are based on claims of manufacturing and design defects.
A tire defect, oftentimes referred to as a tire delamination or tire detread, case usually involves the bottom layer of steel belts separating from the second layer of steel belts and outside tread. A large strip of tread, and sometimes accompanying smaller pieces, separating from the tire while in use, often identifies tire delaminations. It is common for people to refer to these tire events as “blowouts.” A blowout is a sudden loss in air pressure. A tire delamination does not necessarily entail the loss of air pressure. Sometimes the tire will lose the tread but retain its air pressure through the entire accident sequence.
These situations are often misunderstood and likely misidentified in many accidents. Situations such as one that recently happened in San Antonio, Texas should be reviewed closely. According to MySA.com
A woman killed in a crash Saturday was identified as Karla Monsivais, 23, according to the Bexar County medical examiner’s office. The one-vehicle crash occurred around 9 a.m.in the westbound lanes of Texas 151, near Pinn Road, when a rear tire on Monsivais’ vehicle blew out. She tried to regain control of the vehicle, but swerved across two lanes and crashed into a guardrail, according to a police report. She was taken to Wilford Hall Medical Center where she later died.
If you suspect someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a tire related accident, tire delamination, or tire detread, encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly.
