Tires are critical to motor vehicle safety, and this is true of big rigs, like 18 wheelers. When a tire blows, a large truck might go out of control, leaping into oncoming traffic or slamming into a nearby car on a multi-lane highway. Vermont’s roads see many truck accidents, and a blown tire might be to blame.
Call Larson & Gallivan Law to discuss any truck accident. You could qualify for compensation for your injuries and car damage. AVermont truck accident lawyer can review what you know about the accident and, if hired, negotiate a settlement on your behalf. Please call as soon as you can. Trucking companies begin working on these cases immediately, and you don’t want to wait too long to obtain legal help of your own.
Why Do Tires Blow?
Tires typically explode due to defects or when they are put under too much stress. Primary reasons include:
- Overinflated tires. A tire with too much air can burst, like a balloon. Remember, air will expand as the vehicle is in motion, so a tire which is overinflated before a trip will only face increased stress after hours on the road.
- Underinflated tires. Surprisingly, underinflation is also a major cause of tire explosion. When a tire doesn’t have enough air, the stress on the tire’s walls increases.It is critical that a tire has the correct pressure, otherwise disaster can strike.
- Tire defects. The tire’s materials could be faulty, or the components of the tire were put together improperly. An old tire can become brittle, like the eraser on a pencil which has sat in your junk drawer for years. Tires with defects are more prone to failure.
- Overweight trucks. A truck that is overloaded with cargo will put additional pressure on the tires, causing one or more tires to fail. Trucks have a weight limit for this reason, but some truckers overload a vehicle because of financial pressures to haul more freight.
- Potholes and other road defects. A tire is more likely to fail when it strikes a pothole or road debris. Pieces of metal can puncture a tire, forcing air to escape and leading to a tragic explosion.
You might have no idea why the tire blew, in which case you should call an attorney at Larson & Gallivan Law. We can investigate to strengthen your personal injury claim.
Why Trucks Are Dangerous after a Blown Tire
One myth is that a blown tire is no different from a flat tire. Actually, a blown tire is much more dramatic and can lead to a domino effect.
Loss of control. When a tire blows, the truck doesn’t run evenly. Instead, one side can pull more, and the truck can “jerk” out of control. On a multilane highway, a truck can slam into nearby traffic or jump a median. A truck might also tip or roll over, crushing nearby vehicles.
Chain reaction accidents. When a truck jumps into another lane, other motorists can quickly jerk their steering wheels to avoid a crash. However, they end up crashing into a different vehicle, setting off a chain reaction. Within seconds, dozens of vehicles are slamming into each other with others going down an embankment or onto a grassy median.
Flying debris. Truck tires are very large, and big pieces of tire can go flying, possibly slamming into a nearby vehicle and causing them to swerve or lose control.
How to Avoid a Blown Tire
Truckers and trucking companies can take simple steps to ensure that they don’t suffer a blowout:
- Only use new tires. Sadly, some companies pull a used tire off the shelf to save money. But the tire could be old and brittle. Other tires are “patched” but are weaker, more prone to a blowout.
- Perform regular pre-trip inspections. A trucker should inspect a truck before pulling out for their shift. If a tire looks low in pressure, then the trucker should add some air. Likewise, he should swap out any tires that look too worn.
- Inflate tires to the proper pressure. As explained above, both under- and over-inflation are problems. A tire should be inflated to the manufacturer’s specification.
- Don’t overload a truck. Companies often try to juice their profits by hauling over the limit. A trucking company should avoid doing that.
When a trucker or their employer cuts corners, then motorists on the road get into serious accidents.
Can You Receive Compensation for a Blowout Accident?
Possibly. We need to prove what caused the accident. Often, the trucker or trucking company is to blame for the tire blowout. Consequently, they should pay compensation if your vehicle was hit, and you suffered bodily injuries.
We have helped people who struggle with:
- Concussions
- Skull injuries
- Whiplash
- Shoulder injuries
- Chest wall injuries
- Fractures
- Abrasions and lacerations
- Paralysis
- Amputation
If hired, we will search for evidence. You should have called the police after the crash, and an officer should note the blown tire in the accident report. This is an important piece of information.
We can try to inspect the truck involved in the crash and request records of any pre-trip and post-trip inspections. For example, the trucker might have failed to perform pre-trip inspections, which shows negligence. We might also request safety information from the trucking company. A company that cuts corners with one truck will cut corners with other vehicles in their fleet. They could have a history of tires blowing on their trucks.
Once we are confident of fault, we can negotiate with the defendant for compensation. In most situations, a trucking company will be the defendant in the case. They should have insurance to cover your economic losses, along with pain and suffering.
Contact Us to Speak with a Vermont Truck Accident Lawyer
Larson & Gallivan Law has stood up to the largest trucking companies in Vermont on behalf of injured victims. We know that nobody should suffer bodily injuries due to the greed of trucking companies. Give us a call to meet with someone in our office to talk about your case.
