A poorly inflated or overinflated tire can pose several hazards, including difficulty steering and stopping and the possibility of a tire rupture. In the case of a crash caused by improper tire pressure, you might be entitled to compensation.
An experienced attorney can advise you on your legal options if you have been injured in a car accident in Toledo.
Can someone be held liable for an accident caused by incorrect tire pressure?
It is vital to establish whether under or over-inflated tires were the cause of a car accident before filing a compensation claim.
A person who acts negligently must first owe a duty of care to the party who has been injured. If a low tire pressure causes an accident, one or more parties may be held responsible.
- DRIVER OR OWNER OF THE VEHICLE
In most cases, vehicle owners or drivers are held accountable for an incorrectly inflated tire. Although most car owners and drivers are the same people, there have been cases where borrowed cars have been involved in accidents. If this occurs, the owner is liable for any losses.
If an under-inflated or over-inflated tire causes an accident, the driver who failed to increase the tire pressure may be held liable.
- AUTO REPAIR SHOP
A vehicle repair shop that fails to warn you about a tire pressure problem and fails to fix it and causes an accident may be held responsible for the accident’s losses.
- MANUFACTURER
The manufacturer of a vehicle’s tires or the car itself may be held accountable for damages in certain circumstances.
If a flaw prevents the tires from reaching sufficient pressure, the tire manufacturer may be held accountable. A faulty valve or a tear in the tire’s rubber could result in insufficient tire pressure.
Manufacturers may be liable if tire pressure sensors malfunction and fail to notify the driver when the pressure levels in the tires reach a dangerous level.
How to hold someone liable for the accident?
A solid case can only be built by gathering the necessary proof that demonstrates the extent of your damages resulting from a tire pressure-related accident.
For instance, a driver whose tire pressure indicator had been on for weeks and they did nothing to fix the problem could be held accountable for damages. A black box in the vehicle may be helpful to your lawyer since it may reveal if and for how long any warning lights were on prior to the accident.
