Les Schwab Issues First Recall in Company History

The first recall ever conducted by Les Schwab has resulted in a lawsuit against the glue manufacturer who supplied the company with the rubber compound necessary to retread tires. Les Schwab says that it used the rubber compound to retread commercial truck tires before realizing that there were some serious problems. The lawsuit, which seeks close to $4 million in compensation, has been filed in Crook County Circuit Court against Hexpol Compounding.

Retreading is an unnecessarily controversial practice of getting the most out of commercial trucking tires. These tires tend to be quite expensive and retreading provides a way to get longer life out of the tires saving trucking companies and consumers money on goods. It’s also better for the environment, say proponents of the technology. However, some have questioned whether or not the process is safe. The fact is, retreading is safe when it’s down properly, but the process is complex. The treads, which make up the outermost part of the tire (the part that comes into contact with the road) gets worn down after several miles. This process happens much faster on large commercial trucks than it would on a typical commuter vehicle.

Recall Occurred in March of 2018

The recall was initiated in March of 2018. There were a handful of Les Schwab outlets that were impacted by the defective glue. About 41,000 Les Schwab retreads were recalled, but the company maintains that only about 18,000 were directly affected. They recalled a broader range of tires just to stay on the safe side of things.

If a large commercial truck were to suddenly suffer a tread separation to one of its tires, the driver would likely lose control of the vehicle, especially if they were maintaining highway speeds. Once the driver lost control of the vehicle, any number of things could happen. The driver would be in danger of losing their life, and anyone else on the road at the same time as the truck would be in danger of losing theirs as well.

Tread separations are among the most common causes of tire-related accidents. Once the tread separates from the main body of the tire, the tire will suffer an immediate blowout. In motion, vehicles that suffer blowouts are very difficult to maintain control of and this is especially true for large commercial trucks that are hauling upwards of 80,000 lbs. of product. They also brake more slowly. The chances that the truck jackknifes or capsizes due to the blowout is very high.

Luckily, there were no reported injuries related to the tires, but Les Schwab incurred financially injuries due to the recall. Hence the lawsuit. They are attempting to recover money lost due to the recall.

Talk to a Florida Defective Tire Attorney Today

If a tire is at the root of a car accident in which you suffered substantial injuries, the Coral Gables tire defect attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert have the experience you need to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer and recover damages related to your injuries. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.

Resource:

bendbulletin.com/business/les-schwab-tire-centers-sues-glue-supplier-for-million/article_21f44704-35ad-5b5c-aae3-e51c76fb8cd7.html

https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/michelin-and-takata-beat-80m-lawsuit/