A tire blowout is a serious issue that can cause a deadly commercial truck accident. It refers to a tire suddenly exploding, rather than leaking air or deflating slowly. When a truck tire blows out, the driver could lose control of the truck and crash into other motorists. Many different hazards could lead to a disastrous truck tire blowout in New Mexico.
Tire Defects
A defective tire is one that is poorly designed or has a flaw from a manufacturing or marketing error. A defective tire may have tread that wears down too quickly, separates or pulls apart, causing a sudden loss of air pressure. Uneven tire wear or unusual damage due to a defect could cause the tire to age faster than it should, causing tire pressure issues, bubbles in the tire wall, or the side walls cracking or bending. All of these issues could lead to a truck tire blowout in transit.
A tire blowout accident caused by a defective tire could give a victim grounds to hold the manufacturing company liable, or financially responsible. A product liability claim can be brought for defective products, including defective auto parts. These cases often do not require proof of the manufacturer’s negligence. It is enough to show that the tire contained a defect and caused a blowout accident.
Poor Tire Maintenance
Commercial trucks require regular inspections, maintenance and repairs to operate safely and correctly. Trucking companies and truck owners must obey certain federal laws and regulations to keep their trucks in proper working order. This includes requirements for daily inspections performed by truck drivers, as well as tire repairs and replacements, as needed.
Unfortunately, truck maintenance requirements are often overlooked to save time or money. Issues such as old, worn-out or leaking tires could lead to blowout accidents if left unnoticed or ignored. These accidents could lead to claims being brought against the trucking company or truck owner/operator for poor truck maintenance after related accidents.
Overloaded Trailer
There are federal laws in place that regulate the weight of commercial trucks. For safety reasons, trucks cannot exceed a certain weight when transporting cargo. The tires of a big rig are already under a tremendous amount of pressure due to the weight of the truck. If the cargo area of the truck is overloaded, even tires that are in good condition can suddenly pop. The trucking company or cargo company responsible for checking the weight of a truck before embarking could be held responsible for an accident in this circumstance.
Road Hazards
In some cases, tire blowouts are not caused by issues with the truck or tires, but dangerous road hazards. If a large truck strikes a pothole or curb, for example, it could get “tripped” and pop a tire. These accidents could lead to loss of vehicle control by the truck driver and a related truck accident, including a rollover accident. If the city or state government in charge of road safety should have remedied the defect prior to the crash, a victim could file an injury claim against the government agency.
Injured in a Tire Blowout Truck Accident? Contact Our Attorneys
If you were recently injured in a truck accident involving a tire blowout, you may qualify for financial compensation for your related losses, including medical bills and property repairs. At The Fine Law Firm, we help truck accident victims understand and protect their rights. We can identify the cause of the tire blowout and go up against one or more parties on your behalf to hold them accountable for the crash. This can include a trucking company, maintenance crew or tire manufacturer.
After a truck accident in New Mexico, trust our rollovers and blowouts attorneys to pursue maximum financial compensation for you while you focus on healing and moving forward. Contact us today for a free case consultation.