Poor Boyz Sued Over Defective Tire Installation
Imagine going to have your tires changed at an auto shop. Immediately upon driving your car out of their parking lot, your tires begin to fail. That’s precisely what happened to Michael Short of West Virginia. Now he’s suing the Poor Boyz Auto shop that he says sold him defective tires or defectively installed the tires. Short claims that the tires began showing signs of defect almost immediately upon leaving the shop. He claims that the tires did not fit properly and showed signs bubbling on the side. Short is suing Poor Boyz for negligence, unjust enrichment, and breach of implied warranty.
Tires Bubbling on Sidewalls
There is a lot that can go wrong with a tire. A sidewall bubble is usually a harbinger of ill omen. It appears as a large bulge in the sidewall and is caused by air leaking from the inside of the tire into the body of the tire. Sidewall bubbles are caused by impact damage concentrated in a small area. Sidewall bubbles can be caused by potholes, railroad crossings, speed bumps, curbs, or debris left in the road. In some cases, a defect in the tire itself can cause the tire to bubble.
Sidewall bubbles are unique insofar as they are decompressing from the inside of the tire as opposed to the outside, where it could cause a flat. However, sidewall bubbles are more dangerous precisely because they allow you to drive on them. A second impact to the tire could cause the tire to blow out while the car is in motion. If the driver is on a highway, there is a strong possibility that they will lose control of the car and cause a major accident. A tire in this condition can fail for no obvious reason at all and must not be driven on.
Determining the Cause of the Sidewall Bubbling
In the majority of cases, there will either be obvious damage to the bead of the tire or a small cut or abrasion in the tire’s sidewall. Both of these would result in the bubbling effect you see with sidewall bubbling. If there is no obvious problem, then it is likely related to a manufacturing defect in the tire, and you would file a claim with the tire manufacturer.
In the case mentioned above, it appears to be a problem with the installation. If the tire is not mounted or beaded properly, damage to the tire bead can cause sidewall bubbling. In this lawsuit, the plaintiff will allege that a defective attempt to install the tires resulted in the sidewall bubbling.
Luckily, there were no injuries in the case. However, that’s not the point of the lawsuit either. If the tires weren’t installed properly, the individual who performed the installation may be putting others in serious danger.
Talk to a Tire Litigation Attorney
The Coral Gables tire defect attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent plaintiffs in auto product defect liability suits. Talk to us today to schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
wvrecord.com/stories/513610556-man-sues-poor-boyz-auto-after-new-tires-fail-almost-immediately
https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/jury-finds-in-favor-of-michelin-in-tire-blowout-lawsuit/
