Trial Attorney Blog
Georgia injury lawyers often see car accidents and truck accidents caused by tire failure. A tire failure can also be the precipitating event in a vehicle rollover case. The causes of these tire failures vary but include manufacturing defects, road hazards and failure to keep the tire properly inflated.
In any motor vehicle crash where a tire failure is suspected, it is crucial to preserve the vehicle and especially the tires and rims so that they can be inspected by experts. Georgia injury lawyers know experts who can timely inspect and evaluate the evidence and who can testify at trial, if necessary.
Tire and Wheel defects include each of the following:
• Tire Tread Separations
A tread separation refers to the separation of the tread from the carcass of the tire. This separation usually occurs between the two steel belts and is one of the most common modes of tire failure.
• Tire Sidewall Failures
A sidewall failure, also known as a blowout, often involves a hole in the sidewall. These generally occur while a tire is being used on a vehicle when the tire is underinflated. Sidewalls may also undergo a “zipper failure in which the sidewall bursts or explodes during the inflation process. The rupture pattern usually resembles an open zipper. In a zipper failure, there are no visual signs or indicators that the tire may fail during normal servicing.
• Tire Bead Failures
A bead failure involves the breakage of the bead, the part of the tire that contacts the wheel rim. This type of failure occurs during the mounting of a tire on a rim when the bead becomes hung up on the rim, creating huge stress on the entire bead. When the bead fractures, a low pressure explosion occurs, turning the tire and rim into high velocity projectiles which almost always result in serious injury or death. Tire bead failures are most frequent in the spacesaver” spares.
• Aged Tires
Tires do not have an infinite shelf life. Tires may fail due to ozone cracking, even where there is significant useable tread left on the tire. Ozone cracking appears as small cracks or fissures on the surface of the tire rubber. Aging tires increase the likelihood of a tire tread separation or tire sidewall failure.
If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident that you believe was caused by a tire failure, preserve the evidence and then call one of the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP to discuss your rights.