Over the past decade, Bridgestone has faced scrutiny due to defective tires it produced and some resulting lawsuits. Some accidents led to serious injuries, and others led to death. The injured parties and their families have used legal channels in order to recover compensation.
The following provides an overview of some of the lawsuits in which Bridgestone has been involved, as well as information on how you can recover damages for any injuries you sustained as a result of a defective tire-related accident.
Joel Rodriguez et al v. Bridgestone-Firestone
This 2001 lawsuit was the result of an accident that left a woman with severe brain damage and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Marisa Rodriguez was a passenger in a 1998 Ford Explorer when it was involved in a rollover accident due to a defective tire. This accident took place only a few months before Bridgestone-Firestone initiated a recall of 6.5 million tires from a specific plant, where it was eventually determined the Rodriguez’s tires were manufactured. Although Bridgestone-Firestone alleged that the accident was a result of under-inflation of the tires, the jury decided to award the Rodriguez family $7.5 million in damages.
Mathes et al. v. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
Mother and daughter Staci and Joanna Mathes were severely injured in an accident involving a possible tire defect, an incident that lies at the heart of this lawsuit. The pair were driving a 2000 Ford Excursion in Texas when the front left wheel blew out, causing the car to skid across the median and into incoming traffic. Staci was flown to the hospital while Joanna was taken by ambulance; both sustained serious injuries. The plaintiffs, the mother and daughter, believe that although the tire was recalled years ago, the defendant, as well as Ford and the local service station, never notified them, which subsequently contributed to the accident. The case was filed in 2012 and has yet to be settled.
Donna Bailey v. Ford Motor Company and Firestone/Bridgestone
A 44-year-old woman brought forth a lawsuit in 2001, alleging that defective Bridgestone tires on her friend’s Ford Explorer led to a catastrophic accident. The woman, Donna Bailey, was going on a rock climbing trip with friends, when the car she was in experienced a tire blowout, resulting in a rollover accident. Bailey was paralyzed as a result of the injuries she sustained during the accident. The case ultimately settled, although neither party disclosed the financial terms.
Contact a Defective Tire Attorney
Although this article provides a small list of defective tire-related lawsuits involving Bridgestone, there are many more that have occurred throughout the years. And if you have been injured in a crash due to a faulty Bridgestone tire in Florida, contact the attorneys at Chalik & Chalik for help. We can provide you with legal representation and support to gather you the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 855-529-0269.
