Tire Blowout Results in Rollover Accident
A San Antonio woman had to be rescued from her car after a tire blowout caused a rollover accident. The accident occurred at about 3 a.m. on a Friday night. Police told reporters that an off-duty police officer and an out-of-town ambulance were the first to arrive on the scene. Firefighters were able to free the woman from the wreckage and she was transported to the hospital.
Police say that the woman lost control of her vehicle when one of the tires blew out. The vehicle struck a light pole that was knocked completely over due to the impact.
Two Auto Parts Liability Questions
We don’t know anything about the severity of the woman’s injuries, but we do know that one of her tires suffered a catastrophic failure and she was trapped in the vehicle when it rolled over.
The first question involves the serviceability of the tire. If the tire blew out while it was still under warranty, and there’s no evidence that the tire was punctured, aged, or otherwise unfit to drive on, the tire manufacturer might be held liable for the crash.
A completely separate question is whether or not the manufacturer of the vehicle itself (and not the tires) is responsible for trapping the woman inside the car after it tipped over.
Lawsuits have been filed against several major auto manufacturers after vehicles crushed passengers inside the cabin after a rollover accident. Today, safety requirements demand that the cabin of the vehicle can survive a rollover crash without crushing any of the vehicle’s occupants.
Roof Crush Lawsuits
Roof crush lawsuits involve rollover accidents that are made worse when the cabin of the vehicle is crushed under the weight of the vehicle itself. If the vehicle rolls over and the entire weight of the vehicle lays on top of the cabin, the only thing preventing the deaths of all the passengers is the support of the roof.
Part of the problem is that the safety standards related to roofs don’t necessarily rise to a standard that is actually safe. One of the major vehicles implicated in roof crush lawsuits was the Nissan Titan. While the Titan met minimum safety standards related to government regulations, the roof was still unable to withstand the weight of the vehicle once it rolled over.
Anyone inside the cabin when the vehicle turned over was easily crushed inside. This made it much more difficult for emergency crew to remove the individual from the vehicle and often resulted in fatal or life-altering injuries.
Talk to a Florida Auto Parts Liability Lawyer
If you believe that a defective auto part contributed to your accident or the severity of your injuries, call a Coral Gables tire defect attorney today to schedule a free consultation. We will investigate your injuries, the accident, and the brand of vehicle you own to determine if your lawsuit against an auto manufacturer is likely to be successful. Call Halpern, Santos & Pinkert today to learn more.
Resource:
foxsanantonio.com/news/local/woman-rescued-from-vehicle-after-tire-blowout-causes-rollover-accident
https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/will-the-nhtsa-take-action-against-goodyear/
