A tire blowout under any circumstances is frightening. When an 18-wheeler blows out a tire, however, the results can be disastrous. If you or someone you love has been injured in an 18-wheeler tire blowout accident in San Antonio, you may have grounds to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit in pursuit of compensation. A truck accident lawyer in San Antonio can make it easier to hold someone accountable for your injuries and related losses.
What Is a Tire Blowout Accident?
A tire blowout occurs when one or more tires on a motor vehicle experience an abrupt loss of air pressure or structural failure with the tire wall while the vehicle is in motion. Unlike a typical flat tire that leaks air slowly, a tire that blows out can suddenly explode. This makes blowouts especially dangerous for drivers, who may lose control of their motor vehicles and cause traffic accidents.
Why Are Big Rig Tire Blowouts So Dangerous?
Despite having 18 tires, losing just one in an unexpected tire blowout incident can be enough to make a truck driver lose control of the truck. The sudden loss of air pressure can cause the truck to swerve, enter other lanes or roll over. This can result in collisions with other vehicles and serious injuries. Semi-trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger cars, which leads to more severe damage to the latter. Debris from the destroyed tire or the truck (such as spilled cargo) can also create road hazards that cause secondary collisions.
Common Causes of 18-Wheeler Tire Blowout Accidents
Commercial truck accidents caused by tire blowouts are generally preventable. They occur due to issues such as poor tire maintenance and excessive braking by a truck driver. In these cases, victims can file personal injury claims against the person or party that is at fault for causing the crash.
Common reasons for 18-wheeler tire blowout accidents include:
- Underinflated tires
- Poor tire maintenance
- Improper tire selection for the conditions
- Old, worn out or damaged tires
- Overloaded truck
- Driving at excessive speeds
- Tire manufacturing defects
- Hard braking by the driver
- Road hazards
A San Antonio personal injury attorney can investigate your commercial truck tire blowout accident to determine its cause for you. From there, he or she can identify the defendant(s) on your behalf and file a claim against the responsible parties in pursuit of financial compensation for your losses.
If a tire blowout is caused by a defective or dangerous tire, the tire manufacturer may be held responsible with a product liability lawsuit. In many product defect cases, proving negligence (the failure to use a proper amount of care) is not required. It is enough to show that a manufacturer created a defective automotive part and that this caused the truck accident.
However, if the trucking company or truck driver played a role in causing the tire to blow out, the company may be held liable. Trucking companies can be held vicariously responsible for the negligent actions of their employees, including truck drivers. They can also be held directly liable for their part in causing an 18-wheeler tire blowout accident, such as poor truck maintenance.
Contact an 18-Wheeler Tire Blowout Accident Attorney in San Antonio for More Information
Every year, thousands of deadly, preventable large truck accidents occur in the U.S. If an 18-wheeler accident in San Antonio was caused by a tire blowout, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, medical costs and property repairs. Contact a truck accident attorney near you to discuss your legal rights and options in more detail. An experienced 18-wheeler tire blowout lawyer in San Antonio can help you fight for justice and fair compensation.