Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accident Lawyer
Injured in a Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accident?
Encountering an 18-wheeler truck during a tire blowout on the road is an extremely hazardous situation. These truck accidents often result in the truck driver losing control, leading to severe and sometimes fatal accidents throughout Houston and the United States. Tire blowouts are common in large trucks. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s report on Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts highlights tire blowouts as one of the primary vehicle-related factors in deadly truck collisions. A Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accident Lawyer from Molina Law Firm can help you naviagte the insurance and litigation process.
Truck operators have a duty to regularly inspect their tires for signs of wear, proper inflation, and any visible defects. The responsibility for tire safety extends beyond the driver to include the trucking company, independent mechanics, tire producers, and distributors. Each of these parties plays a critical role in ensuring that the tires on big trucks are defect-free. Failure in this regard by any party could result in catastrophic trucking incidents.
Suffering severe injuries in a truck accident is a life-altering experience, potentially leaving lasting impacts. Victims of truck accidents caused by tire blowouts shouldn’t bear the financial burden for their injuries, treatments, and other losses. If you are injured in a truck accident, then you may be entitled to compensation covering medical bills, ongoing healthcare costs, lost earnings, pain and suffering, disfigurement damages, and other damages. SEEK JUSTICE and call a Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accident Lawyer at Molina Law Firm.
Causes of Houston Truck Tire Blowouts
Experiencing a tire blowout in a large truck can be a harrowing event, often leading to significant accidents, including major pile-ups. It’s crucial to understand the variety of factors that can lead to such incidents. Among the primary causes are:
- Long-term Wear and Tear: Tires have a mileage limit set by manufacturers. Exceeding this limit, or neglecting to monitor wear and tear, increases the risk of a blowout or tread separation.
- Manufacturing Flaws: Issues like outdated rubber, inadequate tread development, moisture in the curing process, or foreign objects embedded in the tire are common manufacturing defects.
- Installation Errors: To ensure even wear, large truck tires must be rotated regularly. Failure to do so can lead to uneven wear and increased blowout risk.
- Excessive Load: Overloading a truck puts extra stress on the tires, making them prone to blowing out.
- Tread Separation: Often due to wear or manufacturing defects, tread separation is indicated by abnormal vibrations and can lead to tire failure.
- Impact with Potholes: Hitting large potholes, especially at high speeds, can cause tread separation and blowouts.
- Underinflation: Improperly inflated tires wear abnormally, particularly on the sidewalls, leading to potential blowouts.
- High Temperatures: In hot weather, pavement heat can raise tire pressure to dangerous levels.
- Road Debris: Hitting debris can cause immediate or gradual tire damage, leading to blowouts.
- Speeding: High speeds increase tire friction, contributing to blowouts when combined with other factors.
Liability in Houston Truck Tire Blowouts Accidents
Various parties could be accountable in the event of a truck tire explosion, including:
- Truck Drivers: They are generally responsible for inspecting their vehicle’s tires for wear, correct pressure, and defects before each journey. Drivers might be liable for accidents if they neglect these inspections or overlook evident tire faults. Additionally, they could be responsible if their response to a tire explosion is inadequate or if their reckless behaviors, like speeding or overloading, contributed to the explosion.
- Trucking Companies: These entities must maintain their fleet, including the tires. If a trucking company disregards mechanics’ advice on tire replacement or urges driving despite potential tire issues, they could be held liable. Liability also arises if they employ unqualified drivers or neglect to train them in tire safety.
- Truck Mechanics: Mechanics responsible for tire safety checks or installation may be liable if they improperly install the tire or overlook signs of potential tire failure.
- Tire Distributors: These businesses must ensure the tires they sell meet safety standards, are stored correctly, and are suitable for the trucks they’re fitted on.
- Tire Manufacturers: If a tire explosion is due to defects in design, materials, or manufacturing, the tire manufacturer may be held responsible.
Distinguishing A Tire Blowout From A Flat Tire
A significant difference between these two is that a flat tire might be fixable, whereas a tire blowout cannot be fixed. A flat tire occurs due to a gradual reduction in air pressure leading to deflation, while a tire explosion is characterized by an abrupt pressure loss, typically accompanied by a loud burst. Tire blowouts are more perilous than flat tires because they severely impact the driver’s control over the vehicle, increasing the risk of accidents.
Damages From A Houston Truck Tire Blowout
Victims of truck tire blowout accidents may be entitled to compensation, provided they can demonstrate liability and causation. Potential compensations include:
- Lost income and benefits.
- Costs for personal care and long-term nursing.
- Medical bills, including surgeries and rehabilitation.
- Reduced future earning capacity.
- Damages for pain, suffering, and loss of life enjoyment.
- Compensation for disfigurement damages such as permanent scars
- Physical impairment.
While financial compensation cannot reverse the damages incurred, it can provide substantial relief for covering bills and other expenses during recovery.
Hazards of Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accidents and Driver safety in the United States
The period from mid-May to early October is often referred to as the “tire Blowout season” in the U.S. This is when temperatures soar, especially in Houston, heightening the risk of tire failures. However, tire blowouts can occur anytime, necessitating constant vigilance around trucks.
Per FMCSA reports, tire malfunctions are a top cause of commercial trucks losing control, leading to thousands of property damage, bodily injuries, and fatal crashes annually in the U.S.
After a blowout, drivers must take specific steps to regain control and safely halt the vehicle. Inadequate handling skills in such situations increase the risks for all road users.
How Can A Houston Truck Tire Blowout Accident Lawyer Help
Insurance companies have teams of people who begin an accident investigation the moment an accident happens. If you are involved in a truck accident, you should have someone who looks out for your interests.
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury and need guidance, contact the Molina Law Firm at (281) 922-4300 for more information or to schedule a consultation. Their team of dedicated professionals is ready to provide expert advice and representation to help you seek the fair compensation you deserve.
Get help on the way
If you cannot, get someone to call 911. This will get EMS and police on the way. Get medical attention. Even if you think you may be fine, a medical evaluation is critical.
Gather information
Take photos, get the other drivers information, get witness information. Try and get as much info as possible.
Get a case number
The police will talk to everyone involved and possibly issue citations. They should provide you with a case number that is needed to obtain the crash report.
If you have been seriously injured, it is important that you get an experienced personal injury attorney to help you. Time is important. Contact us.
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Common Types of Auto Accidents in Houston
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Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents that involve large commercial trucks have a higher chance of serious personal injury or death. Victims of these types of accidents have substantial financial and health damages. Many times, these damages are long-term or even permanent.
- Commercial Truck Drivers are governed by rules and regulations involving their training, on-the-road time, and driving. The company that they work for can also be held liable for their actions.
- Carrier Companies are regulated in terms of vehicle maintenance, hiring practices, driver training, and other laws that can help determine liability in the event of an accident.
- Insurance limits of trucking companies and truck operators are much higher than that of other drivers.
If the driver of the 18-wheeler was at fault in the accident, an experienced truck accident attorney will look at the driver, the trucking company, the involved vehicles, and the equipment manufacturers to determine who can be held responsible. In most accident claims, the amount of compensation that can be received is usually limited by the insurance policy.
The second an accident happens, insurance companies have teams of people ready to investigate the accident on their behalf. You need to know that the insurance companies are not investigating the accident on your behalf. The insurance companies also will not share any information with you. If you want an investigation on your behalf, then you need to call us to begin this investigation as soon as possible. As for settlements, you should not accept a settlement from the insurance company until you have had an experienced attorney conduct a review of your case.
At the Molina Law Firm, we will fight cases in court when a settlement cannot be reached. If a settlement does not appear to be fair, then you need to be in a position to fight your case in court.
