If one or more of your tires pop, it can be inconvenient and expensive getting them repaired or replaced. Often, they pop because of age or wear but sometimes it is nothing to do with this and is due to a defect in the tire manufacture or because of the state of the road surface.
If the damaged tires are not your fault and you can identify why they popped, you may be able to claim compensation through a personal injury claim. If the bill for total replacement is very high, it may pay to contact a personal injury attorney to help with filing the claim.
Compensation for Damaged Tires
According to auto repair websites like Angie’s List, the total cost of replacing a set of four tires may come to just under $650, depending on the type of tire. If you have special tires, the cost could be a lot higher.
Commonly available tires can often be fitted quite quickly, so there is unlikely to be a lot of inconvenience involved. If you have special tires and want them replaced if they have been damaged through no fault of your own, you may need to wait until replacements are sourced. You will need to include the cost of not being able to use your car in the compensation claim, for example, the cost of using a rental car or a taxi while you are unable to use your own car to get to work.
You Will Need to Prove That You Were Not at Fault
Generally, a personal injury claim depends on proving that negligence has caused the damage. In the case of damaged tires, if the tires were defective then your tire repair yard can probably determine that the defect was a pre-existing condition.
In some cases, a defective brand is well known and the tire repairer will be aware of similar defective tire cases. Sometimes, a tire problem has been caused by negligence of a different kind. The tires may pop because of the state of the road surface or something that has fallen off a truck.
Each of these cases may be sufficient to enable a personal injury claim to be filed, but may be more difficult to prove. Photos should certainly be taken of a rough highway surface, or metal fragments left on the road after a spill from a truck, as they may be useful when submitting your claim.
Why a PI Lawyer Can Prove Useful
It can be annoying having to replace popped tires when you know that they were damaged because of someone else’s negligence. Proving that you should be compensated can be frustrating if you try and attempt this all by yourself.
If you experience any difficulties with a claim you should consider getting legal help from an experienced personal injury attorney. By completing the Free Case Evaluation, you will be put in contact with a lawyer who can help.
