Question: My husband and young child were in a car accident that happened when a semi truck lost its tire on the interstate and hit our car. My husband was killed and my child was badly hurt. I want to know why the tire fell off. There must have been something wrong with the safety of the semi truck. What are my child’s and my rights?
Answer by Attorney Eric Hageman: You and your child have the right to sue for compensation. Poor maintenance is usually the cause of truck tires coming loose and flying into a passing car or other vehicle. If this was the case with the semi truck tire that killed your husband, your family’s loss could have been prevented.
There are several reasons why a tire can become loose and detach from a semi truck cab or trailer:
- The studs and/or bolts become loose or break
- Over-tightening
- Insufficient tightening
- Use of incorrect wheel/tire parts
- Poor maintenance of wheel/tire
- Poor-quality parts
- Failure to use specialized parts that would prevent the tire from coming off
We won a multimillion dollar car accident settlement for a family in a case similar to yours. A tire came loose from a commercial vehicle, fell off of a bridge and crashed into the windshield of a passing vehicle, killing the driver. We represented the driver’s wife and children in a wrongful death lawsuit against the trucking company. During our inspection of the truck, we found evidence that the trucking company had used the wrong nut to secure the tire.
You can contact me for a free case review by submitting our free consultation form or calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free).
Attorney Eric Hageman is a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Interstate Trucking Litigation Group. He helps accident victims and their families throughout the United States find answers and get justice. He has won millions for his clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against trucking companies, truck drivers and others.
