Who is liable for a tire blowout accident in Washington State?

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An accident caused by a tire blowout can be deadly, especially when it happens at high speeds. While victims of these accidents can recover compensation for their injuries, it is often incredibly difficult to determine who is liable for a tire blowout accident. Multiple factors contribute to a tire blowout and you might find that more than one person is to blame for the accident.

Below, we discuss who might be liable for a tire blowout accident and why.

What parties might be liable for a tire blowout accident?

Multiple parties can cause or contribute to a tire blowout:

Another Driver: Another driver can be liable for a tire blowout if s/he neglected to maintain his/her vehicle, neglected to check the tires regularly, or neglected to replace bald tires.

Drivers can be liable if the debris from the tire caused your accident or if the drivers lost control and crashed into your car. 

Tire Manufacturer: Third parties, such as tire manufacturers and even retailers may be responsible for your accident if they sold you a defective tire. Manufacturers must construct their tires according to specific safety standards. Furthermore, they must thoroughly inspect their tires before selling them. If not, these negligent manufacturers might be liable for any resulting accidents.

Tire blowout causes car accident and damage.

Even if the tire manufacturer created a defective product, it might not be fully liable. If a mechanic, driver, or seller knew the product was defective and continued to sell or drive on those tires, you can hold that party liable as well.

Mechanic: Most drivers do not have the knowledge or skill of a mechanic. What may look like a perfectly safe tire to the untrained eye will likely be an obvious danger to a skilled mechanic.

If you suffer a blowout after taking your car in for a checkup, your mechanic could be liable for the accident if s/he did not recommend that you replace your tires. Similarly, if your mechanic puts the wrong kind of tire on your car, they could be liable for a resulting blowout.

Entities Responsible for Road Maintenance: The entity responsible for road maintenance might be liable for your injuries. For example, if you were injured in a tire blowout accident when you or another driver ran over a pothole, you could hold whoever was responsible for road maintenance liable for your injuries.

However, this party is often a government entity. While it is possible to hold a government entity liable for your injuries, it is often quite difficult and there are several rules and procedures you must follow. A car accident lawyer from Max Meyers Law PLLC can help.

What if I share fault for the accident?                           

Depending on how the accident occurred, you might share fault for the accident. For example, if another driver lost control of his/her car after a tire blowout and crashed into you, that driver would be liable. However, if you could have avoided the driver but were not paying attention, you could be partially at-fault.

Under Washington comparative negligence laws, you can recover compensation from another driver even if you were partially to blame for the accident. So, for example, if the other driver was 80 percent at fault and you were 20, you can recover up to 80 percent of the costs of the accident from the other driver.

Our team will work to defend you against any accusations of fault.

Speak to Max Meyers Law PLLC Today

Blowout accident cases are complicated. The accidents are hard to investigate, more than one person may be at-fault, and case-winning evidence can be hard to come by.

Although these cases are hard to prove, Max Meyers Law PLLC can provide you with the best chances of success after an accident. We will review your case and collect important information, such as surveillance video, eyewitness accounts, mechanic’s records, and any information about tire recalls.

Remember, no party is automatically liable for a tire blowout accident. Before you can collect compensation from an insurance company or through a lawsuit, you will have to establish that another person was at fault for your accident. For help, contact a car accident lawyer from Max Meyers Law, PLLC at today. 

Max Meyers
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Max is a Kirkland personal injury attorney handling cases in Seattle, King County & surrounding in WA State.