Defective Product Accidents: Six People Injured after Tire Blowout
Four children were among the hurt in an East Side accident that may have involved a defective tire. Police state that six people were in the car when the driver lost control near the intersection of Northwest Loop 410 and Dietrich, apparently due to a blowout. All six occupants, including the mother father, and four children, ages 4, 6, 7, and 9, were transported to a local hospital following the rollover accident. Two of the more seriously-injured children were airlifted to University Hospital. One child stopped breathing at the scene, but first responders were able to revive this victim. All the injured people are expected to survive.
Defective Products
Around 7 percent of all personal injury cases in the United States involve a defective product, on one level or another. Sometimes, as in the above incident, the defective product is the sole cause of the plaintiff’s damages. The item may be a contributing factor in other cases; for example, a car’s tire may explode and the vehicle may slip on wet pavement. Although manufacturers have a legal duty to design and sell products that are safe for consumers, thousands of defective products are sold every day. Typically, injured victims may recover damages from the manufacturer if their injury was due to a:
- Design Defect: Many products are dangerous before they even reach the manufacturing plant, because of an inadequate design. For example, the materials used in a key car component may be too cheaply made to withstand normal wear and tear, or a product designed may have eliminated a rivet or two in order to cut costs.
- Manufacturing Defect: Other times, the product is safe when it was on the drawing board, but is dangerous once it leaves the manufacturing floor. A machined screw hole may be slightly off center or a worker may neglect to properly assemble a part.
If you were hurt by a defective product, you may be entitled to compensation for both your economic and non-economic damages. Punitive damages may also be available. Due to the size and scope of these matters, they often become class-action lawsuits. Although most of the things we use are safe and effective, dangerous products are still a serious problem. For a free consultation with an experienced New Braunfels personal injury attorney, contact our office. You have a limited amount of time to act.
