When a truck tire blowout occurs, understanding who the responsible party is is crucial in ensuring you can be adequately compensated for your related expenses. Any accident involving a large truck can result in devastating damage and painful injuries. To obtain experienced representation and legal advice, contact a York County, PA truck accident attorney today.
What is a Tire Blowout?
A tire blowout happens when a vehicle’s tire suddenly loses air pressure or bursts. It generally happens very fast like an explosion and can cause the vehicle to lose control, veer into other lanes, tip over, and more. When a tire on a large truck bursts it can cause serious accidents with significant damage.
Some of the most common causes of truck tire blowouts include the following.
- Overinflation
- Underinflation
- Overloaded trailer
- Wear and tear
- Lack of maintenance
- Leaks
- Roadway debris
- Potholes
Who is Responsible for a Truck Tire Blowout?
When a truck tire blowout occurs and causes an accident, it is important for both the truck driver and any other drivers involved to understand who is liable and responsible for the crash. The first individual who can be considered liable for a tire blowout is the truck driver themselves. Truck drivers have an obligation to examine their vehicles before getting on the road to ensure safety for themselves and others. If they failed to inspect their vehicle or were negligent when doing so they may have missed signs of a worn tire or other damage. In this case, they can be held responsible.
Depending on the details of the situation, the trucking company can also be held responsible for the accident. Trucking companies are responsible for inspecting and maintaining their vehicles regularly. If they do not or if they allow the vehicle to be overloaded, they could face liability. Even if the truck driver was careless in their inspections or maintenance, they were operating under orders from the trucking company.
The company that manufactured the tire could also be held liable for the blowout. If it can be proven that a flaw in the design or production of the tire led the tire to burst, the manufacturer could be responsible for the resulting damages.
Any third-party maintenance companies or mechanics could also be held accountable for the accident if they were negligent in their work. Trucking companies often outsource work. If a third party ignores signs of wear and tear, fails to replace a defective tire, installs a new tire incorrectly, etc. they could be held responsible.
Many individuals or entities can be held liable for a truck tire blowout, even the local government if road conditions caused the accident. It is important that you understand your legal rights and options. Reach out to an experienced attorney for more information today/
