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Did a Tire Blowout Cause Your Accident?
Truck tire blowouts cause devastating accidents.
Shredded tire and other debris can become obstacles in the road and cause other drivers to crash.
A commercial truck tire blowout at highway speed can cause an 18-wheeler to lose control and cross median strips, jackknife across lanes, or into oncoming traffic.
Severe blowouts even cause big rigs to rollover.
The truck driver can lose control of the semi-truck and hit other vehicles.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration tracks roughly 738 fatal crashes annually caused by tire failures on commercial vehicles.
Most blowouts aren't accidents. They're the predictable result of deferred maintenance, skipped inspections, and worn tires that never should have left the yard.
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Why Tire Blowouts Happen on Commercial Trucks
Tire failures on big rigs don't happen randomly. They're avoidable and typically caused by:
- Underinflation
- Overloading cargo beyond tire weight ratings
- Worn tread below the 4/32 inch federal minimum
- Road hazard damage that goes uninspected
- Age degradation of rubber compounds
- Improper tire matching on dual assemblies
When trucking companies neglect proper maintenance it leads to accidents on the roads. The pattern repeats itself across carriers.
Trucking companies skip tire maintenance because it costs money and creates downtime.
They know the risks. They run the tires anyway.
Federal law requires daily pre-trip inspections checking tire pressure, tread depth, and visible damage under 49 CFR 396.13. Most drivers do a walk-around with a flashlight and call it good. That's not an inspection.
The most common maintenance failures that cause blowouts:
Tire pressure management - Underinflation generates heat that breaks down rubber compounds and causes sidewall failure. Overinflation reduces the tire's contact patch and makes it vulnerable to road hazard punctures. Both conditions are detectable with a tire pressure gauge during pre-trip inspection.
Tread depth below federal minimums - Steer axles require 4/32 inch minimum tread depth. Drive and trailer axles require 2/32 inch. Carriers run tires until the cords show because new tires cost $400 to $600 each. Right now there are 18-wheelers operating on tires that shouldn't be on the road.
Load weight exceeding tire ratings - Every tire has a maximum load capacity stamped on the sidewall. Overloading generates excessive heat and flexing that accelerates tread separation. Overloading the cargo weight increases the likelihood of a dangerous blowout. They load it anyway.
Tire age beyond manufacturer recommendations - Tire makers recommend replacement at six years regardless of tread depth. Rubber degrades from UV exposure, ozone, and temperature cycling. You can have 8/32 inch of tread on a ten-year-old tire that's ready to explode.
Skipped rotation intervals and missing inspections - Proper tire rotation extends service life and reveals developing problems like irregular wear patterns or belt separation. Companies skip rotation to avoid shop time.
Our accident experts can see at a glance whether tire treads were too thin to be on the road. The maintenance records don't lie. The question is whether you can get them before the trucking company's lawyers bury the evidence.
Tire blowouts are incredibly dangerous.
The HARD TRUTH: trucking companies regularly choose profits over safety. Owner-operators often do the same.
When trucking companies and owner-operators cut these corners, people die.
When a steer tire blows, the driver can lose control of the vehicle.
When a drive axle tire fails on a loaded trailer, the rig can jackknife or roll.
When dual tires blow simultaneously, cascading catastrophe. The axle slams down to grind the pavement, at high speed it can superheat to ignite fuel, hydraulic fluid, or cargo.
Unfortunately for many crash victims, improper maintenance often isn't uncovered until after an accident.
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How to Prove Liability After a Truck Accident Caused by a Tire Blowout
A strong truck tire blowout crash case is built upon evidence. Proving fault begins at the accident scene. Our accident investigators measure and review the physical evidence to identify negligence.
Here's how the experienced truck accident attorneys at Lawsuit Legal will build your case after a tire blowout crash:
- Secure tire debris and physical evidence immediately - Send investigators to collect tire fragments, photograph tread depth, and document road surface conditions before evidence gets swept away. Tire pieces show whether the failure was tread separation, sidewall rupture, or belt detachment. Each pattern points to specific maintenance failures.
- Force production of maintenance files and inspection records - Issue subpoenas for Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports under 49 CFR 396.11, maintenance logs showing tire purchases and rotations, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspection reports, and fleet management software data. Companies often hide these records because they show a pattern of negligence when they include repeated warnings about tire conditions that management ignored.
- Retain tire forensic experts to analyze failure causation - Our experts examine tire manufacturing codes to determine age, measure remaining tread depth against federal minimums, inspect internal belts for separation, and review load ratings against actual cargo weight. Their reports establish that the tire failure was preventable through proper maintenance.
- Uncover other potential negligent causes - We pull weigh station records showing overweight violations. We examine dispatch logs and load calculations. We dig deeper and look for overweight citations at weigh station. We look for deferred maintenance orders, and driver qualification gaps. The goal isn't just proving the tire failed. It's uncovering a pattern of negligence and the decisions that caused the failure.
Maximizing Compensation After a Truck Tire Blowout Crash
Our goal is to get victims paid as much as possible as fast as possible for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent disability. Depending on the extent of your injury, liability, and coverage, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Potential recoverable damages can include:
- Medical costs - Emergency room treatment, ambulance transport, surgery, ICU stays, physical therapy, prescription medications, and future medical care
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity - Income lost during recovery, reduced ability to work in your occupation, loss of employment benefits, and pension impacts
- Pain and suffering - Physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent lifestyle limitations
- Vehicle and property damage - Repair or replacement costs for your car, damaged personal belongings, towing, and rental vehicle expenses
- Permanent disability or disfigurement - Scarring, amputation, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, and loss of bodily function
- Psychological trauma - Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and ongoing counseling costs
- Loss of consortium - Damage to spousal relationships, loss of companionship, inability to maintain intimate relations, and impact on family dynamics
We can help you hold the responsible parties accountable. Let us help you get paid what you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What causes most truck tire blowouts?
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A: Underinflation causes the majority of commercial truck tire failures by generating excessive heat in the tire sidewalls. Mny drivers skip the required pre-trip inspections or perform a visual inspection instead of pressure gauges. The majority of other cases we see are caused by overloading beyond tire weight ratings, operating on tires with inadequate tread, and continued use of damaged tires that have visible cuts, bulges, or exposed cords that should be replaced.
- Q: Are trucking companies liable for tire blowout accidents?
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A: Yes, trucking companies must maintain safe vehicles and comply with inspection requirements in 49 CFR Part 396. If maintenance records show deferred tire replacement, skipped inspections, or operation below minimum tread depth, the company bears liability for resulting crashes. Vicarious liability also applies when drivers operating within the scope of employment cause accidents due to tire failures.
- Q: How long do commercial truck tires last before they should be replaced?
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A: Tire manufacturers recommend replacement at six years regardless of tread depth. Federal regulations require minimum tread depths of 4/32 inch on steer axles and 2/32 inch on other axles. Many fleets run tires until tread reaches minimums and attempt to squeeze every mile they can. Replacing a full set of 18 tires on a tractor-trailer costs $10,800, and that's $10,800 they don't want to spend until the rubber literally fails.
- Q: What evidence proves a trucking company neglected tire maintenance?
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A: Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports and maintenance logs with gaps showing no tire replacements despite high mileage along with tire purchase records can expose neglected maintenance. Missing maintenance records also suggest document destruction after a crash known as spoliation.
- Q: Can tire manufacturers be held liable for blowouts?
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A: In some cases tire manufacturers can be liable under product liability law if the tire had a manufacturing defect, design defect, or inadequate warnings. The majority of commercial truck tire failures are linked to improper maintenance rather than manufacturing defects, however. Our accident attorneys will investigate the unique facts in your case to determine all parties that may be liable.
Let Lawsuit Legal Handle Your Tire Blowout Truck Accident Case
If you or someone you love was injured in a truck tire blowout accident, it is critical you contact our law firm as soon as possible.
Our skilled truck injury attorneys will want to get started right away to secure key evidence and witness testimony before it is lost.
Major carriers like J.B. Hunt, Swift Transportation, and Werner Enterprises deploy catastrophic accident response teams within hours of a serious crash.
They have a head start. We want to start the fight.
Put our size, reputation, and experience to work for you, and our lawyers will fight passionately for you every step of the way.
Contact our nationally recognized trial attorneys at (888) 713-6653 to discuss your tire blowout truck accident claim. We'll fight to hold negligent carriers accountable and get you the compensation you deserve.
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External Resources
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