Rollover – Tire Defects

Bad Tires & SUV’s High Center of Gravity Don’t Mix!

When Ford Explorer Rollovers started to occur nationwide, with the resulting recall of defective Firestone tires, rollovers and defective tires have been center stage in all product liability news stories ever since. Bridgestone / Firestone was forced to recall millions of their ATX, ATX II and Firestone Wilderness radial tires due to tire defects from tire tread separation causing Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to lose control and roll over. Besides Bridgestone – Firestone, many other tire manufacturers have also had similar tire tread / belt adhesion problems including Continental General Tire Company, Cooper Tire Company, Kelly Springfield Tire, Dunlop Tire, Goodyear Tire, Kumho Tire and others. When a tire tread separation occurs at highway speeds, a rollover and resulting roof crush is a too often occurrence.

Rollover Accidents Due To Tire Detreading & Delamination Defects

When a radial tire suddenly loses its tire tread the driver often loses of control of the vehicle due to a blowout of the tire or rapid pressure decrease in the remaining core. When the blowout occurs to a rear tire, controlling the vehicle becomes very difficult, especially at highway speeds. This loss of control results in the rear of the vehicle swinging around to become perpendicular to the direction of travel (yawing).

If the yawing is not immediately reversed in direction, then the sideways motion often leads to the bead of the tire separating from the rim or de-beading, allowing the rim to dig into the pavement or surface, resulting in propelling or tripping the vehicle into a roll. Tripping of the vehicle can also result in a rollover if sufficient amount of sideways movement occurs in a grass or dirt median to actually trip the vehicle and launch it into a rollover. Tire manufacturers have known that a leading cause of tread separation is due to the design and placements of the belts and overlying tread. Tread and belt separations can also occur due to poor adhesion of the components from the use of old and expired adhesives, improper temperatures, rust, unclean manufacturing facility, moisture, oxidation, grease, sawdust, gum wrappers and EVEN cigarette butts.

Of all of the known problems resulting in tire tread and belt separation, the leading cause of belt separation is the failure of the metal to stick to rubber. The method used most often involves plating the metal with brass and apply a rubber compound containing sulfur. If the sulfur and other compounds are not to the correct mixture, then incomplete adhesion occurs. Also if the brass plating is allowed to oxidize, then adhesion will likely occur. If there is a shiny brass look to the belts, then there may be a deficiency in the tread bonding process, if not also compounded by other defects.

SUV Rollover & Tire Defects Lawsuit Evaluation

If you or a member of your family has been involved in a SUV rollover accident, van rollover, truck rollover, tire defect or tread separation accident or any other serious accident and you have questions about whether the vehicle or tire design may caused or contributed to the accident or injuries, then call and talk to us now. Call 1-800-883-9858 for a Free & Confidential Consultation or Click Here

PLEASE NOTE: The statements and information provided on this web site are for the informational purposes only. This law firm is not affiliated in any way with any trademark owner. The use of any trademarks on this site is for product identification and information purposes only .This webpage is provided to you to assist in SUV Rollover accidents, passenger van rollovers, 15 passenger van rollover accidents, recalls, truck accidents & rollovers, tire tread defects, tire separations, roof crush and roof pillar collapse, seat belt failures, fuel fed fires and other related rollover accident issues, including rollover injuries and deaths. This site is not intended to provide legal advice to the reader and NO attorney-client relationship shall be deemed to arise from the receipt this page and/or its associated pages or any oral or e-mail communication to or from with the Willis Law Firm. There will be NO lawsuits filed, claims made, letters or phone calls made for a prospective client, until that person is represented by the firm. An attorney client relationship only arises after the attorney and client have signed a written attorney client contract.

Mr. Willis is licensed attorney in New York and Texas.  He is a Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Read more about Board Certification. Principle office is Houston, Texas.

Mr. Willis has represented clients in personal injury, auto accident, SUV  rollover, van & truck rollovers and other product liability and negligence cases from across the United States, including clients from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin & West Virginia.

Further, any statement or reference to past personal injury, products liability or SUV rollover lawsuits, settlements or verdicts should NOT be relied upon in one’s own case or in your decision on which law firm to hire. All clients’ cases, facts, injuries, damages, venues and lawsuits are different and there is NO way to predict the outcome of a particular case, verdict of a jury or judge or the strength of a case before a judge, jury or the appellate court system. The client is responsible for all of their own medical expenses. All cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. NO attorney’s fees or case costs charged to client, unless a recovery is made for the client. Often in very serious and catastrophic injury and death cases Mr. Willis may associate with another products liability attorney as co-counsel and in other matters, the case may be referred. In cases where a legal matter is referred, Mr. Willis will continue to maintain joint responsibility with the handling attorney or lead counsel and actively monitor the progress and development of the case.  Due to his years of experience in personal injury and products liability cases, Mr. Willis will often continue to assist in working with the hired experts and engineers and in research of the defective product or other related legal matters in the case