Accidents Caused By Defective 18-Wheeler Tires

Have you been the victim of an accident caused by a defective 18-wheeler tire? Our Houston trucking accident attorneys can help you seek compensation for all damages you have incurred.

Do you remember the last time you had to replace the tires on your car or truck? It wasn’t cheap, was it? Now imagine that you have a truck with 18 specialized (read expensive) tires that you drive about 50,000 miles a year on.

Once you take this into consideration, it becomes readily apparent why so many truck drivers drive on old and defective 18-wheeler tires.

A recent statewide effort was made by the Texas Department of Public Safety in which they set up check points in cities all over the state, including Houston, where they would randomly stop 18-wheelers to verify, among other things, that their tires were in safe operating condition. Approximately 25% of the trucks that they pulled over were found to be unsafe for traveling on Houston’s roadways and were pulled from duty. That is a frightening statistic indeed.

It is no wonder then that so many accidents occur in Houston each year which involve 18-wheelers and other large trucks with defective tires.

Multiple Defendants in Tire-Related Accidents

In addition to the normal difficulties that you will encounter following your 18-wheeler accident, your case may be further complicated by the fact that there could be multiple defendants. Many trucks will transport trailers that are not owned by them. They will arrive at a location and pick up a trailer owned by another company to be delivered. Such a company may bare some portion of liability in a case that is caused by a defective truck tire.

Additionally, the company that services the truck may be responsible as well. Failure to properly install or maintain the tires can result in a catastrophic accident. The mechanical service provider may have a legal duty to determine that the truck is in good running order. Many times, companies will knowingly sell and install defective tires as a part of a common and elaborate scam that happens all over the country whereby old tires are reconditioned to make them appear to be new tires in order to pass a safety inspection.

The manufacturer of the tire may also be a possible defendant. It is not uncommon for tires to leave the factory in a naturally inadequate state. Such defective tires are a recipe for disaster on a large vehicle. Our firm has much knowledge on the subject of defective tires. Knowledge that is instrumental in making a case against a tire manufacturer.

Runaway Tires

Truck tires can, themselves, inflict massive damage. Naturally, many trucking accidents occur when the truck’s tire malfunctions and causes the driver to lose control, but each year in Houston there are a considerable number of accidents reported whereby the tire itself detaches from the vehicle and collides with a person or vehicle.

Last year, in a neighboring city to Houston, a young man was killed when an 18-wheeler tire shot off of the truck and slammed into his car door at approximately 70 mph. The force of the tire impacting the door caused massive internal injuries that resulted in his death. Unfortunately, this type of accident occurs far too often.

Most people would be alarmed to know that an 18-wheeler’s wheel and tire assembly weigh close to 100 lbs. and when they become detached from the truck at highway speeds, they carry enough momentum to propel them approximately ½ a mile before they run out of momentum and stop. It’s like being struck by a cannon ball.