Man Wins $7.7M After Vehicle is Struck by Loose Tire

An Oakland County jury awarded a Brighton man $7.7 million in compensation for injuries he suffered in 2018 when his vehicle was struck by a loose truck tire on Interstate 96. The trial lasted 15 days and the jury deliberated for about 1½ hours before returning the verdict. The 8-person jury unanimously found Lower Huron Chemical and Supply Co. to be solely responsible for the accident. The defendant denied all claims of negligence at trial.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff suffered multiple injuries on August 13, 2018 when a 450-pound tire came off a westbound truck owned by the defendant. The tire proceeded to roll through the highway median and struck the plaintiff’s vehicle heading eastbound.

The plaintiff contended that he suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord compression, rotator cuff tear, and brachial plexopathy. He also suffered chronic pain and PTSD following the crash.

According to the plaintiff, the tire came off the truck because of an oil leak from the hub of the wheel. The company and their driver is accused of ignoring a serious maintenance issue which led to the tire coming off the truck and striking the plaintiff’s vehicle.

Flying tire accidents

Flying tire accidents are often fatal. In many cases, the force of the impact is enough to entirely crush the cabin of a vehicle and kill the driver instantly. Surviving a flying tire accident is by no means a given. Tires are quite heavy and when they’re rolling around at a speed of 50+ mph, they can do a considerable amount of damage to a passenger vehicle.

In these cases, the company that owns the truck is almost always liable in a flying tire accident. Truckers are expected to perform routine inspections on their vehicles to ensure that the vehicles are safe to drive. When a tire flies off a vehicle, you can safely assume some form of negligence played into that event. Tires don’t just fly off vehicles. Yet these types of accidents are increasingly common.

The plaintiff’s complaint alleged that the driver failed to properly inspect, maintain, and repair the truck, and negligently operated it on the highway. The plaintiff further alleged that the truck had a defective tire and rim assembly, and the driver did not check and tighten the lug nuts during the pre-trip inspection. The complaint accused Lower Huron Chemical and Supply Co. for not servicing the truck after being instructed to and failing to properly train the driver in pre-trip inspection protocols.

Talk to an Oakland, CA Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If a tire flies off another vehicle and strikes your car, the owner of that vehicle is liable for any injuries you suffer as a result of the accident. Call the Oakland personal injury attorneys at Venardi Zurada today to schedule an appointment, and learn more about how we can recover damages related to your medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life.

Source:

livingstondaily.com/story/news/local/2022/11/04/brighton-man-wins-verdict-in-highway-injury-lawsuit/69620205007/