auto product liability

Personal Injury Resulting from a Defective Motorcycle Part

By Personal Injury Lawyer on September 17, 2009

In Tucson and throughout Arizona, there are three types of motorcycle product liability cases: flawed design cases, manufacturing defect cases, and “failure to warn” cases.

Flawed Design Cases
Flaws in the design happen in the conceptual and engineering phases of motorcycle production. For example, a design for a new muffler may not have been tested carefully enough and, as a result, a muffler defect that went undetected could result in a serious injury to a motorcycle rider.

Manufacturing Defect Cases
A product defect, on the other hand, may come from a problem in the machining and/or manufacturing process. A well-designed combustion engine, for instance, may not be put together correctly during manufacturing. This part may then be unable to perform up to par under certain road conditions, or the wrong conditions, which may lead to an injury for a rider.

“Failure to Warn” Cases
The last kind of motorcycle product liability case is a failure to warn case. In such instances, the responsible party failed to guard or warn against hazards, leading to damage or injuries to a motorcycle rider.

If a defective motorcycle part, such as a helmet, muffler, handlebar, brake system, tire, or engine, hurt you or caused damage to your property, you may be able to hold the manufacturer of the product liable. Please contact the Tucson motorcycle accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices at 602-978-6400 for a free consultation.

Understanding What Makes a Tire Defective or Potentially Dangerous

By Personal Injury Lawyer on September 15, 2009

Defective tires may be responsible for several thousand traffic accident deaths in the United States every year, as well as for countless injuries and inconveniences. This is according to statistics issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though the true number of accidents that occur due to tire defects may be even higher, as the role of defective tires that cause or exacerbate car and other motor vehicle accidents is often masked by other contributing factors.

There are at least 2000 major tire lines on American roads today and, although companies like Goodyear, Firestone, and Bridgestone issue recalls regularly in order to remove defective or potentially defective tires from the roads, the system to remove them does not function effectively due to its complexity. Because of this, millions of tires that may be defective continue in use on our roadways. To put this in perspective, several years ago Firestone and Bridgestone recalled more than 15 million of their tires because of severe and dangerous defects.

The age of the tire generally contributes to its failure, and tires between five to seven years old are at a higher risk for blowouts, punctures, and tears. As some tires are designed to last longer, it is important to read about them before purchasing and to talk to a respected auto mechanic about a particular tire brand’s reliability on the road.

The separation of treads can endanger a driver when the tires lose their grip fully or partially on the roadway during quick turns or while performing other emergency maneuvers.

The potential for blowouts or exploding tires can cause drivers to become unable to steer his or her vehicle and thus veer out of control, often resulting in an accident. Tires that fail catastrophically also may damage other parts of the vehicle.

Besides the actual tires, tire rims, air pump systems, and other related parts and equipment are intimately designed into the vehicle’s structure. If the structures surrounding a poorly designed tire on a modern automobile, truck, or bicycle fail, additional problems will often occur.

If there is a possibility that a defective tire or rim may have been responsible, or at least partially to blame, for your motor vehicle accident, it is important to seek out legal assistance to examine your options. Compensation for any injuries or damages stemming from defective tires may be due you.  As one of the most dedicated and esteemed Arizona personal injury law firms, Breyer Law Offices has served the Phoenix area for nearly fifteen years.  Our skilled Phoenix auto product liability attorneys provide exceptional service for our clients, custom fit to meet their legal needs, and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency situations.  To schedule a free consultation about a possible tire defect lawsuit, please call us at 602-978-6400.