Tire Blowout Accident Injuries

In this article, the Scholle Law Firm’s Georgia tire accident attorneys discuss accidents involving tire blowouts. The Scholle Law firm is experienced with handling these types of cases and their Georgia tire accident attorneys have the experience and resources to provide outstanding legal representation. Anyone injured by a defective tire or because of another driver’s negligence should reach out to the firm for a free consultation.  Additionally, if you have questions for our Georgia tire accident attorneys about this content or another personal injury matter, please feel free to contact us.  

Tire Blowout Definition

A tire blowout is the term used to describe an incident when a vehicle’s tire had a sudden air pressure loss. Sometimes it happens and is followed by a loud “boom” or explosion like sound. Causes include tire defects caused in the manufacturing process or by a vehicle owner’s inability to keep the tire(s) in good repair.  For instance, a vehicle owner that does not have good air pressure or someone with a vehicle that has tires exposed to extreme heat or cool temperatures. Additionally, damage from road debris, impact (hitting a curb) or overloading, can also cause tires to fail.

Tire blowouts can happen without warning and are the cause of many single car accidents.  Lastly, you may become involved in a tire blowout related accident after another vehicle loses control or causes a chain reaction accident. These accidents can happen on the highway or on any Georgia surface street.  No matter where they happen, they generally leave all drivers with very little time to react.  

Why Tire Blowouts Are Dangerous

Tire blowouts cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. Even the best driver with great skill and reflexes will still be in a difficult position to maintain control of the vehicle when the blowout occurs. If a vehicle loses control it can cross into oncoming traffic or make impact with other cars vehicle.  Not only do these accidents impact regular cars and trucks, but a blowout with a commercial vehicle like an 18-wheeler can cause very deadly accidents due to the speed and size of the tractor trailer.

Because tires are pressurized and made of durable materials, they cause very serious damage to people and vehicles. A blowout occurring at high speed can cause pieces of a tire to fly into other cars, passengers and even pedestrians.  This means they have the potential to cause severe damage to not only your vehicle, but also to you and your passengers. Some very serious tire blowout cases even result in vehicles going airborne where cars and trucks are flipped upside down on their roofs. In catastrophic cases, it in not uncommon for passengers involved in tire blowout accidents cases to be ejected from inside of a vehicle.

Common Causes of Tire Blowout Accidents

As mentioned above, many tire blowout accidents involve commercial vehicles like tractor trailers and 18-wheeler trucks.  Tires on commercial vehicles are larger than many of the tires that are used on motorcycles, cars, trucks, and SUVs. Even though they are larger and used on big rigs, they still wear and tear like tires on non-commercial vehicles.  Additionally, the same types of issues and problems that cause commercial tires to blowout also affect non-commercial tires as well.  Those issues include:

  • Vehicles Carrying Too Much Weight or Heavy Loads
  • Potholes
  • Collision with Road Debris or Other Vehicles
  • Driving Too Fast
  • Tires with Incorrect Air Pressure (Too Little or Too Much)
  • Damaged Tires Caused by Extreme Heat or Cold
  • Tires Too Old to Be Driven Safely
  • Negligently Manufactured Tires
  • Improper Maintenance
  • Wear and Tear That Is Uneven

Injuries Related to Tire Blowout Accidents

Car crashes happen everywhere. They are not limited to city streets or country roads.  All car crashes are unpredictable, and it is always a best practice for all drivers to stay focused and cautious. Even the most cautious drivers are caught off-guard when someone causes an accident.  Tire blowout accident cases are a prime example of this.  If someone loses a tire at 70 MPH it is a serious challenge for them to maintain control of the vehicle.  Even a great driver cannot predict where tire blowout debris will go.  The bottom line here is that these tire blowout accidents happen so very fast and with fast speeds and loss of control, plus dangerous blowout debris, there are just so many ways to get injured.

People are injured and killed every year in motor vehicle accidents that were caused by tire blowouts. Thankfully not every tire blowout case results in a death or catastrophic injury.  But as all injury victims can attest, there is no good way to be injured.  With tire blowout accidents occurring so frequently, the types of injuries vary greatly.  Additionally, every individual accident is different, and the facts of the accidents will generally have some bearing on the types of injuries that are sustained.  Tire blowout injuries can include:

  • Lacerations
  • Abrasions
  • Bruises
  • Swelling
  • Burns
  • Fractures
  • Permanent Disabilities Such as Loss of Sight or Hearing
  • Closed Head Trauma
  • Spinal Injuries Including Paralysis
  • Loss of Limbs from Amputation

Responsible in a Tire Blowout Accident Case

Georgia tire blowout accidents are often confusing and complex. Not only from the perspective of the injured person, suffering from the wreck, but also for the Georgia tire accident cases working on the case.  A lot of these cases involve multiple vehicles, insurance companies and in many cases large trucking companies as well.  The Georgia tire blowout attorneys handling these cases investigate all the relevant involved parties to build their case against the proper defendants. Examples of potential defendants in Georgia tire blowout cases include:

Owner of a Vehicle with Bad Tires

If your car is going to be on the road, you have a duty to keep it in good working order so that it is not a hazard when it is driven.  A tire blowout caused by negligent vehicle maintenance (driving on bald or worn or bad tires) is the fault of the vehicle’s owner.  This is also true for work vehicles.  If a company is not keeping their trucks or other vehicles in good working order, they too can be on the hook for damages in a tire blowout case.

Driver of Vehicle with Bad Tires

Sometimes the person driving the negligently maintained vehicle is not the owner, but just the person that happens to be behind the wheel when the accident occurs. Some of the same responsibilities of a vehicle owner can also apply to a driver. Getting on the road with bad tires is negligent.  The driver can make an argument that may not have known the tires were worn or in bad shape, but they still have a duty to only operate a vehicle that is safe for the road. 

Additionally, more negligence exists when they are speeding or engaged in other unlawful road conduct that results in a tire blowout.  Experienced Georgia tire accident attorneys will often argue that the poor driving and the operation of unsafe equipment both contributed to the accident injury case.  It is hard to argue that speeding on bad or bald tires is not negligent.  This type of example is why criminal and civil liability exists for people that cause serious injury accidents. This includes tire blowout accident injury cases.

The Company that Made the Tires

Tire manufacturers have been notorious for manufacturing bad products that have no business ever being bought or sold and especially not driven.  In a lot of different cases they have been held accountable. In all fairness, mistakes in the manufacturing process can happen.  Such mistakes happen and sometimes they are not realized before it is too late.  In other cases, some manufacturers have used less than quality materials and manufacturing processes to make defective tires because it meant for a better bottom line. Such conduct may meet the standard of gross negligence under the right facts and evidence. For example, holding a tire manufacturer accountable and proving they knew that they were selling dangerous products.  

Car and Truck Manufactures

Cars and trucks with tire air pressure monitoring systems are more common in newer model vehicles. Unfortunately, these systems are not always accurate.  If a vehicle was incorrect in communicating the accurate amount of air pressure in a tire and that resulted in the vehicle’s owner not knowing there was a problem, that could potentially cause a tire blowout.  Again, improper air pressure is a common cause of tire blowout accidents. If this scenario should occur, it would be proper to pursue the manufacturer of the vehicle or the vehicle’s air pressure monitoring system for damages.

Vehicle Repair Shops

Negligence on the part of a vehicle repair shop is not uncommon. In some cases, these businesses have forgotten to tighten lug nuts or make correct repairs that have later resulted in very serious tire blowout or other similar accident cases. In other situations, repair shops and tire stores have sold used tires that should not have been sold.  Those tires have caused blowout accidents. Whether it is a bad repair or putting unsafe tires on a vehicle, these stores can be held accountable if their negligence results in an injury accident.

Experienced Georgia Tire Blowout Attorneys

Identifying the causes and responsible parties in a tire blowout case is not simple. Many of these cases require significant investigation and knowledge, as well as experience and resources. Resolving a tire blowout case for an injured party can take a lot of time and may require significant analysis of a client’s injuries and medical records. In some cases there may be the need to involve an expert witness that can attest to the poor quality of a tire. Lastly, some cases may require a trial. All of these issues are fit for an experienced tire blowout attorney.

At Scholle Law, our Georgia tire accident attorneys are experienced with investigating cases and working with clients to gain an understanding of their specific injuries. Scholle Law has the experience and resources to handle complex personal injury matters including tire blowout cases. Every case is different and we know that some cases will require experts and the challenge of proving a case to a jury. We understand that and take pride in our work.

A call to Scholle Law will result in the opportunity to speak to an experienced Georgia personal injury and accident attorney. We offer free case evaluations. During a consultation with one of our attorneys you will have a chance to have your concerns addressed and we will take the time to answer all of your questions. If you have a question about a tire blowout accident case or any other accident or personal injury matter, please contact us. Our phones are answered 24/7 and it will never cost anything to find out how we can help you.

To set up a meeting, call us today at (866) 592-1296 or contact us online.