Tire failures on a commercial truck rarely happen without warning. They happen because someone skipped an inspection, ignored a worn tread, or overloaded a trailer. When dangerous tire blowouts cause a truck driver to lose control, accidents occur, and people are harmed.
Take, for instance, a semi-truck that experiences a tire failure at 70 mph on I-94 near Detroit. The 80,000-pound truck jackknifes across three lanes of traffic, and a family in a sedan has no time to react.
A scenario like this plays out on highways across Michigan and the U.S. more often than most people realize, making liability for truck tire blowout accidents a major legal issue. In one recent year, 15,888 of the nation’s 172,387 truck crashes occurred in Michigan. That’s more than 43 commercial truck crashes per day in the Wolverine State.
Truck accident cases are complex and often heavily contested due to the high financial stakes. A skilled Michigan truck accident lawyer can investigate the crash and identify all liable parties.
Key Takeaways for Michigan Truck Tire Blowout Accident Liability
- Most truck tire blowouts result from preventable problems like underinflation, overloading, or skipped inspections.
- Multiple parties may share liability: the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance provider, or tire manufacturer.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations require truck drivers to inspect their tires before every trip and document their findings.
- Michigan's comparative fault system means your compensation may be reduced if you share any blame for the crash.
- Tire debris and vehicle damage are critical evidence that can disappear within days if not preserved.
Who Is Liable for a Truck Tire Blowout Accident in Michigan?
The truck driver and the trucking company are often liable for accidents caused by truck tire blowouts, but other parties may be liable.
Truck accident cases are complicated because multiple parties have legal duties to keep tires safe. Maintenance records, driver logs, and the tire itself usually reveal where the breakdown occurred.
Any of the following may share responsibility:
- The truck driver who skipped required inspections or ignored visible tire damage
- The trucking company that failed to maintain safe equipment or allowed worn-out tires on the road
- Third-party maintenance contractors who performed faulty inspections or improper repairs
- Cargo loaders who overloaded the trailer or distributed the weight unevenly
- The tire manufacturer if a design flaw or manufacturing defect contributed to the failure
Pinpointing liability in a truck tire blowout accident often requires a detailed investigation into maintenance records, inspection practices, and equipment defects, which is why working with a Michigan truck accident lawyer can make a critical difference in identifying every responsible party and maximizing your compensation.
What Causes Semi Truck Tire Blowouts on Michigan Highways?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that underinflation causes most truck tire blowouts. But other factors contribute to crashes on I-75, I-96, and the busy stretches around Metro Detroit.
Underinflated Tires
Low tire pressure causes the sidewalls to flex more than designed. This generates excess heat and weakens the tire's internal structure. A Department of Transportation survey cited by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 41% of truck fleets had inflation problems.
Safety experts estimate that nearly 80% of tire blowouts could be prevented with proper inflation. Checking pressure takes minutes but can prevent catastrophic failures on busy highways like the I-696 or the Southfield Freeway.
Overloaded Trailers
Every tire has a weight rating. Most semi-truck tires safely carry about 6,600 pounds per tire when properly inflated. Exceeding that limit puts enormous stress on the rubber.
Cargo loaders and trucking companies share responsibility for staying within weight limits. When a trailer leaving a warehouse in Dearborn or Sterling Heights is overloaded, the tires become vulnerable to sudden failure.
Worn or Damaged Tires
Federal law requires front tires to have at least 4/32-inch tread depth. Other tires need at least 2/32-inch. Tires below these thresholds lose their ability to grip the road and handle heat.
Cuts, bulges, and embedded objects also weaken tires. A small puncture from debris on I-94 might not fail immediately, but can rupture miles later during a long haul.
Manufacturing Defects
Sometimes the problem starts at the factory. Tread separation, bonding failures, and material flaws can cause a tire to fail even with proper maintenance.
These cases involve product liability claims against the manufacturer. The failed tire is critical evidence for proving the defect.
How Do Lawyers Prove Negligence in a Truck Tire Blowout Case?
You must show that someone had a legal duty, they breached that duty, and that breach caused your injuries. In tire blowout cases, the duty usually comes from federal safety regulations.
Negligence means someone failed to act with reasonable care. When a trucking company ignores a worn tire that should have been replaced, they have been negligent.
Establishing a Duty of Care
The FMCSA sets clear rules for tire safety. These rules establish the legal duty trucking companies owe to everyone on the road.
Federal regulation 49 CFR 393.75 prohibits operating a commercial vehicle with:
- Exposed body ply or belt material through the tread or sidewall
- Front tires with less than 4/32-inch tread depth
- Other tires with less than 2/32-inch tread depth
- Tires inflated below the pressure required for the load being carried
- Regrooved or retreaded tires on the front wheels of buses or heavy trucks
Proving the Breach
Maintenance records are often the smoking gun in these cases. Trucking companies must keep detailed logs of tire inspections, rotations, pressure checks, and replacements for at least one year.
If records show that a tire was overdue for replacement or that a driver reported problems that went unaddressed, that evidence proves negligence.
Drivers must also complete a daily Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) before each trip. Missing or falsified DVIRs can show that a driver skipped the inspection.
Connecting the Breach to Your Injuries
Proving causation means showing that the tire failure directly led to the crash and your injuries. Expert witnesses, including accident reconstruction specialists and tire engineers, often provide this testimony.
The truck's electronic control module (sometimes called a "black box") records speed, braking, and steering data. This can show exactly how the blowout caused the collision.
What Evidence Can Support My Truck Tire Blowout Lawsuit?
Truck accident evidence can vanish quickly. Trucking companies may repair vehicles, dispose of tires, or overwrite electronic data within days of a crash. Critical evidence includes:
- The failed tire itself, which experts can examine for defects and wear patterns
- Tire maintenance and inspection records
- Driver qualification files and training records
- Daily vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs)
- Electronic logging device (ELD) data showing hours of service
- Black box data from the truck's electronic control module
- Cargo manifests and weight tickets
- Photos of the crash scene, vehicle damage, and tire debris
A lawyer can send a spoliation letter demanding that the trucking company preserve all evidence. A spoliation letter is a legal notice that requires the company to save documents, electronic data, and physical evidence. This step is time-sensitive.
How Does Michigan’s Comparative Fault Law Affect My Truck Accident Claim?
Michigan uses a modified comparative fault system. Comparative fault means that if you share some blame for the crash, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
You can still recover compensation as long as you were less than 50% at fault. If a jury finds you 20% at fault and the trucking company 80% at fault, your compensation would be reduced by 20%.
Trucking companies and their insurers routinely exploit this law by trying to shift blame to the injured driver. They may argue you were following too closely or reacted incorrectly to the blowout. A skilled truck accident attorney will fight unfair allegations to maximize the value of your claim, even if you do share some fault.
How Does Michigan No-Fault Insurance Apply to Truck Accidents?
Michigan's no-fault system requires you to file for PIP benefits through your own auto insurance first. PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection, and it covers medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash.
However, truck accident victims who meet the serious injury threshold can pursue additional compensation. This includes money for pain and suffering, which is not covered by PIP.
The serious injury threshold requires showing that your injuries affect an important body function in a way that impacts your daily life. Many truck accident injuries, including broken bones, spinal damage, and traumatic brain injuries, meet this standard.
What Steps Should I Take After a Truck Crash in Michigan?
If you have already received medical attention or are actively treating your injuries, you’ve taken an important first step. There are additional actions you should take to protect your health, your rights, and your truck accident claim.
The following steps can help strengthen your case:
- Hire a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible so critical evidence is preserved and you are not dealing with the trucking company or its insurer alone
- Attend all medical appointments and follow your treatment plan carefully, since gaps in care can be used to argue that your injuries are not serious or were caused by something else
- Document your recovery with a written or video journal describing your pain levels, physical limitations, and how the injuries affect your daily life
- Take photos of the crash scene and your injuries, including tire debris, vehicle damage, and road conditions if you have not already done so
- Obtain a copy of the police report, which may include important details about the tire failure and contributing factors
- Avoid speaking with the trucking company’s insurance adjuster until you have legal representation
- Keep all medical bills, receipts, and records of missed work to support your claim for damages
Taking these steps early can strengthen your Michigan truck accident claim and protect you from common insurance tactics. In Metro Detroit truck accident cases, where multiple parties and federal regulations are often involved, early legal action can help preserve evidence and position your case for fair compensation.
Ask Kajy Law Firm About Michigan Truck Tire Negligence Claims
Is a tire blowout considered negligence?
A blowout itself is not automatically negligence, but the cause usually is. If the blowout happened because someone skipped inspections, ignored worn tread, or overloaded the truck, that person acted negligently.
Can a trucking company be sued for tire failure?
Trucking companies have a legal duty to maintain their vehicles and follow federal safety rules. When they fail to do so and that failure causes a crash, they can be held responsible for damages.
What happens if a tire defect caused the crash?
A: If the tire had a manufacturing or design defect, the tire manufacturer may be liable. This is called a product liability claim. Preserving the failed tire is essential to proving this type of case.
Are truck drivers responsible for checking their tires before trips?
Yes. Federal regulations require truck drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection before every trip and document their findings. This includes checking tire pressure, tread depth, and visible damage. Skipping this inspection is a violation that can support a negligence claim.
How do investigators determine why a truck tire failed?
Investigators examine the physical tire for wear patterns, defects, and signs of underinflation. They also review maintenance records, driver logs, and electronic data from the truck to piece together what happened before the failure.
What if debris from a truck tire blowout caused my accident?
You may still have a claim against the trucking company or other responsible parties. Tire debris causes thousands of accidents each year on highways like I-75 and I-94. The same negligence that caused the blowout can make those parties liable for debris-related crashes.
How long does a truck accident lawsuit take in Michigan?
Truck accident cases take longer than typical car accident cases because they involve federal regulations and multiple parties. Many cases settle within one to two years. Cases that go to trial in Wayne County or Oakland County may take longer.
Getting Answers After a Truck Crash in Metro Detroit
A truck tire blowout on I-75, I-96, or the Lodge Freeway can change your life in seconds. While you focus on recovering, insurance companies and trucking company lawyers are already working to minimize what they pay.
Kajy Law Firm handles car, truck, and motorcycle accidents across Metro Detroit. Our team of 10 attorneys and 35+ staff members has recovered more than $100 million for accident victims throughout Michigan.
We take cases on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we win. Check out our client testimonials and case results to see how we have helped people in situations like yours.
Call 248-702-6641 or contact us online for a free consultation.