What Causes Tractor-Trailer Tire Blowouts?
In recent weeks, record-breaking high temperatures have played a role in causing more and more traffic accidents on Florida roads. Heat makes drivers more short-tempered, as well as causing problems with conditions of some roads, and can even lead directly to tire blowouts on cars and large trucks. While heat is not the only cause of tractor-trailer blowouts, it can play a role – and in general, tractor-trailer tire blowouts can cause serious accidents. If you have been injured in an accident where a large truck blowout helped to cause your injuries, you may have a case against either the driver, their employer, or both.
Not Always An Inherent Flaw
Heat can weaken the rubber treads of a tire, but there are several other reasons why a blowout can happen. One of the most common is underinflating or overinflating tires; the former flex more, which means more friction builds up against the tire’s surface, while the latter simply wear unevenly. Either can lead to a quick and unanticipated blowout. This can be tied to poor maintenance, or to a simple mistake. Another common cause is an inherent defect in the tire – either a design defect or an error in manufacturing can cause a tire to self-destruct.
It can be difficult to determine the immediate cause of a tire blowout, though qualified experts may be able to reconstruct an accident, which can help. However, if a blowout has contributed to causing your injuries, it is important to reconstruct why and how it happened. A design defect, for example, might place liability on the shoulders of the tire’s manufacturer, rather than on the shoulders of the tractor-trailer’s driver or their employer.
More Than One Defendant May Be Liable
One of the most important things to be aware of after a tractor-trailer accident is that not every case can be traced to the negligent actions of one defendant; many wind up involving more than one defendant, whose actions contribute directly to causing the plaintiff’s injuries. For example, a tire made weak by a manufacturing defect may blow out sooner than it would have otherwise, because a negligent tractor-trailer driver chose to speed or drive in bad weather. In this situation, both the tire’s manufacturer and the tractor-trailer driver would, at least in theory, bear a portion of liability.
If the tractor-trailer driver might be held liable for negligence in your case, keep in mind that Florida law recognizes the concept of vicarious liability. If an employee is acting within the scope of their employment, and commits a tort (essentially, the civil equivalent of a crime), their employer can be held liable for their employee’s actions. This is not always a successful gambit, but on the whole it is worth your time to investigate.
Contact A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney
Being involved in a tractor-trailer accident can be a crossroads in a person’s life, particularly if their injuries are severe. An experienced Tampa truck accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group can help. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.
Source:
casetext.com/case/mercury-motors-exp-inc-v-smith
