Hurt by a Firestone Tire
Firestone tire blowouts have injured people across the United States. When Harvey Firestone started selling tires around 1900, his products were used on horse-drawn vehicles like wagons and buggies. A close partnership with auto magnate Henry Ford drew Firestone into the realm of mass production and turned the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company into an international conglomerate.
Originally based in Akron, Ohio, Firestone was purchased by Bridgestone in 1988. While Firestone lives on as an independent brand for marketing purposes, legal matters, including tire recalls, are handled through Bridgestone.
The Willis Law Firm has represented hundreds of Florida clients in tire defect cases and done a formidable job protecting their consumer rights. If you’ve suffered an accident or injury after purchasing Firestone tires — tread separation, steel belting exposure, unexpected blowouts, or any other tire issue — contact us immediately to learn more about your legal rights.
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Key Firestone Tire Recalls
Firestone, like any tire manufacturer, strives to maintain the highest standards of craftsmanship. Defective Firestone tires have nevertheless entered the marketplace on several occasions. Note that because of their subsidiary relationship, Firestone has also been involved in several of the recalls listed on our Bridgestone page. Here are some of the most significant Firestone tire recalls:
1978
Firestone issued a recall on all 5-rib and 7-rib steel-belted radials in the “500” line. Nine million tires manufactured between 1975 and 1977 were recalled in a chaotic nationwide process. The estimated cost to the company was $100 million in 1978, an amount equivalent to $386.7 million today, adjusted for inflation.
2000
In the second-largest tire recall in US history, Firestone’s ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires were recalled due to tread separation issues. SUV crashes with fatal injuries were reportedly caused by the defective tires. Recalls were most common in California, Texas, and Florida.
2009
127,000 Firestone tires (Model FR 380, size P235/75R15) were recalled after widespread consumer complaints regarding tread separation and distortion. These tires were never linked conclusively to any accidents, but the voluntarily recall lost Bridgestone several million dollars in revenue.
2017
Firestone recalled FS561 tires (DOT codes 0515-0416) due to tread separation. 36,000 tires, mostly in the 255/70R22.5 size/profile, were included in the recall.
2018
Firestone FSS18 tires (date codes 2318-2418) were included in a larger Bridgestone tire recall when road tests showed a noncompliant tendency for the tires’ steel cords to become exposed. The tires recalled were primarily fitted to commercial trucks.
See the NHTSA website for details on numerous other, smaller Firestone tire recalls.
Your Rights And Tire Defects
Companies that fail to issue recalls for defective tires or adequately handle their recalls expose their customers to serious risks. Property damage, serious injury, and death can all result from defective tires. Consumers have a right to feel safe on the road, particularly when they install and maintain their tires according to manufacturers’ recommendations.
When you’re injured because a tire manufacturer has violated your consumer rights, The Willis Law Firm believes that the company can and should be held accountable. Firestone has earned a notorious reputation for releasing defective tires that cause accidents and injuries, and civil lawsuits have held them liable for such failures many times in the past.
Contact the Willis Law Firm if You Were Injured by Defective Firestone Tires
A tire blowout accident lawyer can conduct an investigation and assist in determining who was at fault for the collision. We have helped many critically wounded clients nationwide recover money for amputations, asphyxiations, burn injuries, spinal cord injury, brain damage, death, and other catastrophic disabilities caused by tire blowouts. David P. Willis is board certified as a personal injury trial law specialist. We’ve put in a lot of effort to get the best results for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you and your loved ones. Call us at 713-654-4040 or 1-800-883-9858 to tell us your story about your injuries from a Firestone tire blowout.