Defective Tire Attorney
As leading motor vehicle product liability attorneys, Richard Mithoff and his team at Mithoff Law have won million dollar cases against Ford, Sears, and Firestone. If you or a loved one was injured in an automotive accident caused by a defective tire, put your case in the hands of a legal team that has won pivotal cases against the world’s largest tire manufacturers and resellers.
Contact the team at Mithoff Law: Call 713-654-1122 today to get started.
“Mithoff has been one of Houston’s most respected attorneys for decades, handling such high-profile cases as the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Enron-related litigation on behalf of J.P, Morgan Chase and highly publicized bus and plant explosions.”
– Houston Chronicle, June 26, 2019
Our product liability lawyers regularly pursue defective tire lawsuits and have a history of winning substantial settlements for clients battling major tire companies.
In fact, Richard Mithoff won the first successful verdict against both Firestone and Sears in the defective tire litigation relating to Firestone tire recalls. As many as 88 people were killed and 250 injured in crashes that may have been related to the firestone manufacturing defects, and winning that case paved the way to ultimately minimizing the number of future accidents.
In the Firestone case, our client suffered a serious brain injury and fractures to an arm and a leg when the tread came off her rear tires causing her to lose control of the vehicle. It was the first Firestone case to be tried.
In the Bridgestone and Sears case, we were hired by the family of a man who died in a rollover accident caused by a blowout. “We had internal documents that Bridgestone rated the tire a bad performer but they continued to sell it. Sears was aware of the issue and therefore had partial liability. Due to this extensive documentation, we were able to settle before going to trial,” said defective tire attorney, Richard Mithoff.
A $29M Verdict was awarded and Sears was held 35% liable.
What should I do if my tire blowout caused an accident?
After an accident, the first thing you should do is to make sure everyone in the vehicle is safe. Exit the vehicle when it’s safe to do so, and then follow these steps.
- Call 911: Especially when individuals may have sustained injuries, it is advisable to obtain the assistance of first responders and police at the scene of an accident. Police will typically prepare an accident report that a defective tire attorney can use to evaluate your claim.
- Keep your car from being destroyed: The insurance company may want to tow your car and destroy it, but the vehicle may be an important piece of evidence in your case. Request that your insurer advise the impound lot to store the vehicle until your attorney can provide further instructions.
- Document the scene: Identify and document the location of the accident, the tire tread on the vehicle, the location of skid marks, and the names and contact information of witnesses.
- Call a defective tire attorney: A defective tire attorney from Mithoff Law may be able to assist with gathering additional evidence, determining who may be responsible, and preparing your case for trial.
Don’t wait too long after your accident to have your initial consultation with your lawyer. The state of Texas generally sets the personal injury statute of limitations at two years from the date of the alleged harm, and the more time that accumulates between now and the accident, the harder it is to collect evidence.
Tire blowouts
Tire blowouts are among the most common types of motor vehicle product liability cases. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that over 8,000 car accidents every year can be attributed to tire blowouts.
What most people call a “tire blowout” is usually a tread separation. Tread separation occurs when a tire’s belts separate from each other. This separation causes the tread to partially or completely detach from the tire body often causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The more pieces of tire tread you can safely collect from the scene of your accident, the better. Be sure to look up and down the roadway when collecting these, and do not put yourself in danger.
Other types of motor vehicle product liability
While defective tires are often used as an example of motor vehicle product liability due to the awareness created during the Firestone tire recalls, other vehicle issues are also common.
Mithoff Law attorneys’ have assisted with product liability cases that include:
- Airbags failing to inflate or otherwise deploying improperly
- SUVs prone to rollovers and crushed roofs
- Seatbelt failure
- Loss of engine power
- Unwanted vehicle acceleration
Whatever the issue is with a motor vehicle, our team will work to identify the root cause and responsible parties. We have decades of experience working with subject-matter experts to identify automotive product defects, and will work tirelessly to ensure that responsible parties are held to account.
Why does my defective tire attorney want me to collect evidence?
Physical evidence is often crucial to developing and pursuing a product liability claim. Typical issues to be proven in a product liability claim include:
- Whether the vehicle had a defect that made it unreasonably dangerous
- Injury occurred while the vehicle was being used in an ordinary manner
- The defect in the vehicle caused the injury
- Whether the vehicle was in generally the same condition as when it was sold, or had been substantially altered
We ask clients to collect the evidence available to them, only if it is safe to do so, as evidence such as tire tread pieces can disappear quickly after an accident. A person should never put themselves in harm’s way in an attempt to obtain evidence. Our team will search the area thoroughly, but taking pictures and collecting evidence will help expedite the process.
Do I have a motor vehicle product liability case?
If your accident was caused by improper automotive design, defective materials, or other design, manufacturing, or warnings issues that create an unreasonable safety hazard, a skilled defective tire attorney may be able to help you explore your options and build a case.
A defective tire lawyer from Mithoff Law will work to uncover what caused the accident and to get you the compensation to which you are entitled. As home to some of the best defective tire attorneys in the nation, we have experience handling these fact-intensive claims.
If you or a loved one was injured as a result of a motor vehicle manufacturing issue, call a motor vehicle product liability attorney from Mithoff Law at 713-654-1122 today.
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