Omaha Tire Defect Attorney
Legally Reviewed By: Robert M. Knowles
Attorney & Partner At Knowles Law Firm
A tire blowout at highway speed takes less than a second to change everything. One moment you are in full control of your vehicle, and the next, you are spinning across lanes of traffic with no time to react. When a tire fails not because of driver error but because of a manufacturing flaw, faulty design, or inadequate safety warnings, the person behind the wheel should never be left to absorb the financial and physical consequences alone. Defective tires cause devastating accidents every year, and understanding your rights is the first step toward holding the right parties accountable.
At Knowles Law Firm, we have spent more than 55 years fighting for injury victims across Nebraska, including those whose lives were turned upside down by tire defects and dangerous vehicle products. Our family-owned firm has recovered millions in settlements and verdicts for clients, including a $1.2 million outcome in a products liability case. We know what it takes to build a compelling case against tire manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, and we are committed to pursuing every avenue of compensation on your behalf.
What Types of Tire Defects Can Cause an Accident?
Not all tire failures are the result of the same problem, and identifying the specific defect is critical to understanding who bears responsibility for your injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire-related issues contribute to thousands of crashes each year, and many of those incidents trace back to a product that was flawed before it ever reached the consumer.
Design Defects
A design defect exists when the fundamental blueprint of a tire is unsafe, meaning every tire made from that design carries the same inherent risk. When a tire’s tread separation, belt construction, or internal structure fails to meet established safety standards because of how it was engineered, the manufacturer can be held responsible for any resulting accident.
Manufacturing Defects
A manufacturing defect occurs during the production process, where individual tires or batches are produced with errors that deviate from the intended design. This can include improper bonding of tread layers, contamination during production, or incorrect curing that weakens the structural integrity of the tire. Even a tire that appears normal when installed can fail catastrophically under road conditions.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Defective Tire Accident?
Understanding liability in a tire defect car accident case requires a thorough investigation into the entire supply chain, from the original manufacturer to the retailer who sold or installed the product. Nebraska follows product liability principles that allow injured victims to pursue claims against multiple parties when a defective product causes harm.
The following parties may share liability in a tire defect case:
- Tire manufacturers: If a flaw in the design or production process created an unreasonably dangerous product, the manufacturer bears a significant share of the responsibility.
- Distributors and wholesalers: Parties that transported or stored tires improperly may have contributed to a defect or accelerated the degradation of a tire’s structural components.
- Retailers and installation shops: A tire seller or installer who ignores known safety recalls or installs the wrong tire for a vehicle’s specifications can create dangerous conditions.
- Vehicle manufacturers: In some cases, the automaker may bear responsibility when the tire was installed as original equipment and the defect was present before the car reached its first owner.
Our attorneys will investigate all potential defendants and pursue claims under Nebraska’s products liability laws to ensure you are not leaving any compensation on the table.
Why Should You Check for Vehicle Recalls Before Filing a Claim?
One of the first steps our team takes when evaluating a tire defect case is checking whether any active vehicle recalls apply to the tire involved in the accident. When a manufacturer has already issued a recall and an owner has not been notified or given the opportunity to remedy the defect, that failure can strengthen your claim considerably. Our attorneys review recall histories, NHTSA complaint databases, and prior litigation involving the same product to build the most thorough case possible.
What Compensation Can an Omaha Tire Defect Attorney Recover?
The injuries caused by tire blowouts and tread separations are often severe, affecting every aspect of a victim’s life. A tire defect accident can result in rollover crashes, multi-vehicle collisions, and catastrophic injuries that require years of medical treatment. The attorneys at Knowles Law Firm work with medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, and economic analysts to document the full scope of your losses.
Medical and Financial Damages
Compensation in a tire defect case can include past and future medical expenses, lost wages during recovery, and diminished earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation. We work carefully to calculate both the immediate costs of treatment and the long-term financial impact of a serious injury.
Pain and Suffering
Nebraska law also allows injured victims to seek non-economic damages for the physical pain and emotional suffering caused by the accident. These losses are real, and we fight to ensure they are reflected in every settlement negotiation and courtroom argument we make on your behalf.
Contact Knowles Law Firm to Speak With an Omaha Tire Defect Attorney
Tire defect cases move through courts under the framework of products liability law, which requires specific evidence, expert testimony, and a clear understanding of the manufacturing process. The attorneys at Knowles Law Firm bring more than five decades of personal injury experience to every case we take, and our team has the resources to challenge large manufacturers and insurance companies head-on. We serve clients throughout Omaha and across Nebraska, with offices conveniently located to assist injury victims wherever they are.
If a defective tire caused your accident, you deserve attorneys who will investigate every detail and pursue every dollar of compensation the law allows. Time limits apply to personal injury claims in Nebraska, so reaching out early gives us the best opportunity to preserve critical evidence. Contact our office today through our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
About Our Attorney
Robert M. Knowles
Attorney & Partner at Knowles Law Firm
Robert has tried cases in both state and federal courts and was selected as one of the top 100 litigation lawyers in Nebraska for 2014 by the American Society of Legal Advocates. Less than 1.5 percent of lawyers nationally are selected for this recognition. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest rating an attorney can obtain. He was also selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2019 Top Rated Lawyer.