A woman in Edison has been hospitalized after a freak NJ Turnpike accident in which she was struck by a tire. Gladys Duman was riding in the passenger seat of a car when a car on the New Jersey Turnpike lost one of its wheels. The tire bounced into Duman’s path and smashed through the windshield, causing serious injuries that left her comatose. Neither her husband nor the two boys riding in the back seat suffered injury.
A family member of Duman’s spoke to reporters the following day. She said that Duman was doing much better, having come out of her coma and being upgraded to stable position.
Liability When a Tire Causes Injury
Rolling tire and wheel-off injuries can happen in a variety of ways. Under-inflation, for example, can cause a blowout that can lead to a tire breaking or coming loose. Treadburn mixed with friction can lead to overheating and breaking up of tires. Tread separation is another common cause of tire injuries. And sometimes these accidents happen when a spare tire is put on a vehicle incorrectly.
There can be multiple possible defendants in situations like this. These include:
- The driver, if he or she failed to inspect or maintain tires on a vehicle
- The owner of the vehicle, if he or she is responsible for improper wheel-end maintenance or negligently fails to replace worn tires
- The manufacturer of the vehicle or tire, if defects in design or production lead to the wheel-off or blowout incident
If negligence on the part of another driver has caused you injury in a car accident, a personal injury attorney can help you identify all responsible parties and seek maximum recovery for you.
