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Tire blowouts are a common cause of semi-truck accidents in the United States. These situations can leave accident victims with extensive damages and injuries, especially if the truck collided with a smaller vehicle as a result of the blowout.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck, working with a personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you need and deserve to recover. LegalFinders can connect you with a trusted and experienced attorney in your area who has worked with cases like yours. Call us today for a free consultation to learn how we can help you during this difficult time.

A tire blowout from a truck caused an accident on the road

Semi trucks travel throughout the United States, so it’s important for drivers of smaller vehicles to remain cautious when driving near large trucks to avoid vehicle accidents.

Unfortunately, sometimes these accidents are unavoidable, such as when a large truck’s tire blows. A tire blowout can be caused by a number of factors.

Regardless of how the blowout occurs, it can lead to catastrophic injuries or even fatalities for truck accident victims.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a tire blowout accident, turn to LegalFinders for help locating a proven car accident attorney who can help you with your case.

The attorneys we connect our clients with have been thoroughly vetted and have years of experience in their fields.

What Causes Tire Blowouts In Truck Accidents?

There are several causes that may result in a semi-truck tire blowout. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Tire failure
  • Tread separation due to wear and tear
  • Defective products used in the creation of the tire
  • Tire pressure issues: air pressure that is too low or too high
  • Defective tires
  • Underinflated tires
  • Overloading the truck with too much weight
  • Driving over potholes
  • Unknown tire defects
  • Driving at high speeds over rough terrain
  • Tire manufacturer failures

All of these causes and more can result in a tire blowout, which can ultimately cause an auto accident that leads to serious injuries.

Consider working with a law firm experienced in tire blowout accidents if you or a loved one have been injured as the result of this situation.

Who Is At Fault In Semi Truck Tire Blowout Accidents?

Because tire blowouts are typically caused by something the trucker, trucking company, or truck retailer did or failed to do (such as negligent driving or improper cargo loading), tire blowout accidents aren’t typically the fault of the driver in smaller vehicles.

Instead, the truck driver, trucking company, or commercial vehicle manufacturer may be at fault for the accident.

Truck Driver

If a truck driver was acting in a way that they knew or should have reasonably known was unsafe to other passengers or drivers on the roadway, they may have been negligent.

Examples of negligence that could put the truck driver at fault include:

  • Speeding
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Failing to check cargo loads before the trip
  • Driving outside the allowed hours of service
  • Driving aggressively (i.e. following too closely, weaving in and out of traffic, etc.)
  • Driving tired
  • Failing to maintain control of the vehicle
  • Failing to yield or stop

Trucking Company

The trucking company is usually the party responsible for loading cargo and performing maintenance on the tractor trailer. When they fail to do this, accidents can result, including tire blowouts.

Even if the trucking company did not directly cause the accident due to maintenance oversight issues, they are often held liable for injuries caused in tire blowout accidents.

This is because trucking companies are legally responsible for the commercial trucks they own.

Semi Truck Manufacturer

If the tire blows on a big rig due to a defect in the tire caused during the manufacturing process, the tire retailer or truck manufacturer could be considered at fault for the accident.

When an accident is found to be caused by manufacturing defects, the accident victim can pursue compensation from the tire retailer in a product liability claim.

Who Is Liable For Injuries And Damages In Tire Blowout Accidents?

It’s important to understand that fault and liability are two different concepts in injury cases. For example, if a semi truck driver was following all traffic laws at the time of the accident, but experienced a tire blowout anyway, they may be found at fault for the accident but not liable.

Even though, in this case, the trucker did not directly cause the accident, the person driving the vehicle that led to the accident is usually found at fault. However, they are not always liable.

That is, the trucker in this case would not necessarily have to pay for damages incurred if the tire blowout was caused due to improper loading of cargo or a tire defect.

Instead, the insurance company of the trucking company or trucking retailer would likely be held liable and have to pay you compensation for medical bills, property damage, and other impacts from the accident.

Liability can be tricky in tire blowout personal injury cases. For this reason, it may help to consult highly skilled truck accident lawyers who can help you identify the liable party for your case.

What Are Your Legal Options If You Were Hurt In A Tire Blowout Collision?

The best thing to do immediately after any semi-truck accident that led to vehicle damage or bodily injury is to contact a personal injury lawyer.

Your lawyer can direct you to the best medical treatment and help you figure out the best course of action for your case.

Likely, you will want to file a personal injury claim to seek compensation for medical expenses, time missed at work, pain and suffering, and other damages.

A lawyer can get to work right away by reviewing your medical records, the police report from the accident, eyewitness statements, and other documentation to begin building your case.

When you’re ready, they can help you file a claim in the right area of the court and within your state’s deadlines.

If your case does not settle, they can help fight for compensation in court, explaining the possible verdicts or outcomes along the way.

Common Injuries Listed In Truck Accident Cases

The types of injuries a person sustains in semi-truck tire blowout accidents can vary greatly depending on the severity of the crash and where the vehicle was impacted.

If a blowout causes a big rig to lose control and collide with a passenger vehicle, it could lead to a rollover accident for the car, an explosion, or other devastating effects.

Examples of injuries someone may incur in this type of accident include:

  • Brain injuries
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Injuries to the spinal cord
  • Back injuries
  • Fractures
  • Cuts and abrasions
  • Bruising
  • Broken bones
  • Disfigurement
  • Whiplash
  • Concussions
  • Fatalities

All of these injuries and more can qualify you to file an accident or personal injury claim. It’s important to note that while filing a claim can lead to receiving compensation, it’s often not a straightforward process.

Some insurance companies go to great lengths to minimize damages and injuries in order to reduce their payout to accident victims.

Working with a personal injury attorney can help ensure your rights are protected and that no corners are cut when the insurance company is evaluating your claim.

What Damages Can You Claim In Truck Accident Personal Injury Claims?

You may be able to claim a number of types of damages in truck accident claims. Damages is the legal term for the ways the truck crash impacted your life.

Common damages cited in tire blowout truck accident cases include:

  • Medical expenses: These include costs of physical therapy, emergency department visits, follow-up appointments, medications, and medical bills related to accident injuries.
  • Lost wages: Taking time off work to recover from injuries can cause a person to miss out on several paychecks.
  • Pain and suffering: If a truck accident led to the unexpected loss of a loved one, lingering PTSD, or other emotional impacts, you may be able to claim pain and suffering.
  • Wrongful death: If you lost your loved one in a truck accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim on their behalf.

How Does Negligence Affect Your Personal Injury Case?

Negligence must be present in all personal injury cases in order for the truck accident victim to pursue compensation. Or, the liable party must have been negligent in some way in order to be held liable.

However, the concept of negligence is complex and considered differently in each state. For instance, in some states, settlement offers may be reduced if the accident victim can be considered partly at fault for the accident.

This is known as the principle of comparative negligence. It means that you can still file a claim if you were partly at fault for your injuries — for example, if you weren’t wearing your seat belt.

It also means that your payout will be reduced based on your level of negligence. A trusted truck accident attorney can help you fight for fair compensation and work to ensure you are not assigned a higher level of fault than you should be.

Tire Blowout Accident Rates In The United States

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted a study that included 142,000 serious large truck crashes. Of these crashes, 8,000, or 5.6% of accidents, were caused by semi-truck tire blowouts.

In fact, of a large truck causation study performed by the FMCSA, tire blowouts were one of the elements studied in factors leading up to a crash.

In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that there were 664 motor vehicle fatalities in tire-related crashes in 2020.

FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions regarding semi truck tire blowout accidents and related personal injury cases.

How Many Accidents Are Caused By Tire Failure?

Six percent of large truck crashes are shown to be from tire-related causes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration large truck causation study. The study does not break down how many of these accidents were caused by tire blowouts.

While more than 600 fatalities were caused by tire-related crashes in the United States, this number does not break down how many fatalities were linked to large truck accidents.

What Causes Truck Tire Blowouts?

Causes of tire blowouts can include low tire pressure, low tire tread, wear and tear, a tire defect, and overloading the truck with too much cargo, among others.

How Much Is The Average Settlement For A Tire Blowout Case?

The settlement amount for a tire blowout personal injury case will be determined based on a range of factors, including the severity of the injury and extent of the damages.

Indeed, more serious injuries tend to lead to higher settlements because they will have the greatest overall impact on a person’s life and lead to the most resultant damages.

While it’s impossible to predict exactly how much your settlement offer will be, a lawyer can help you understand the possible outcomes for your case and review your damages to provide you with an educated estimate for the damages amount you can seek.

Connect With The Best Tire Blowout Accident Lawyers Near You

Are you ready to get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries after a tire blowout accident? Don’t let the insurance companies undervalue your claim.

Find help from a competent lawyer for your injury lawsuit or claim. At LegalFinders, our lawyers are well-versed in both personal injury law and product liability law.

We will help you file the right type of claim, establish a strong attorney-client relationship with you, and work to fight for compensation that reflects the pain and suffering you’ve endured.

Our reputation precedes us with numerous client testimonials, successful cases, and millions won in case awards. Let us help you with your case today.

Call us now for your free case evaluation and to learn more.

Article Sources

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — The Large Truck Crash Causation Study – Analysis Brief

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness

National Library of Medicine: Traffic Injury Prevention Tire blow-outs and motorway accidents

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