Defective Tires

On average, the federal government issues about three tire recalls a month.  On a voluntary basis, manufacturers themselves issue even more recalls.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation maintains a recall database listing over 280 different tire manufacturers, with each manufacturer responsible for many different tire lines, sometimes as many as sixty, illustrating the sheer number of defective or dangerous tires that may be on the road at any given time. 

Unfortunately, manufacturing defects are often hidden until the moment when a tire actually fails.  Tire failure can cause loss of vehicle control, leading to collisions with other vehicles, impacts with stationary objects, or rollovers, causing serious injury or even death. 

Aged Tires

Tire manufacturers have known for decades that tires should not be used after six years, regardless of the tread wear.  In fact, tires age while sitting on a shelf, and a "brand new" tire that has never been sold or used before may still be too dangerous to install on a vehicle.  While consumers may remain unaware of the shelf life of tires, retailers know the age of a tire from the manufacture date encoded on the tire. 

Retailers should not be selling used tires that are beyond their safe life, regardless of their condition, even if they are only selling them to be used as spares.  Nevertheless, this practice continues every day across the United States.   If an improperly sold tire causes an accident, the victim may be entitled to receive compensation for his or her damages from the negligent retailer.

The personal injury trial attorneys at Langdon & Emison have helped people nationwide in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits arising from defective products, including faulty and defective tires.  If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident, contact the products liability lawyers at Langdon & Emison today to help evaluate whether a defective tire may have been responsible.