http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/firestone_tires Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:34:18 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12883 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12883 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered 450,000 tires recalled after Foreign Tire Sales, the New Jersey company that imported the tires, disclosed that they had been manufactured without a gum strip meant to keep the tread from separating.  The tires, manufactured by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, have been blamed for at least two accidents, one of which was fatal.  The tires were sold under at least four brand names:  Westlake, Compass, Telluride and YKS.  The tires are just the latest in an array of Chinese products that have been found to pose a hazard to consumers.   Others have included wheat gluten tainted with melamine that was used in pet food, contaminated toothpaste, defective Graco infant swings, and Thomas the Tank Engine toys made with lead paint.  According to a recent New York Times report, Chinese imports have accounted for more than 60-percent of all product recalls this year.

In the case of the defective Chinese tires, it appears that Foreign Tire Sales knew about the safety issues for up to two years before it alerted the NHTSA.  According to the letter the company sent the agency, it first suspected the problems in October 2005.  Yet it wasn’t until September 2006 that Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber admitted to leaving out the gum strip.   Still, Foreign Tire Service only brought the defective tires to the NHTSA’s attention on June 11.  The company claims it had no real proof of the manufacturing problems until May, and that it did not want to arouse concerns based on “mere suspicion.”

This incident is reminiscent of the Firestone and Bridgestone Tire Recall in 2000, which involved 6.5 million tires.  The defective Firestone/Bridgestone tires also had tread separation problems and were tied to 148 deaths and 500 injuries.  It was the largest and deadliest tire recall in US history.

No one can guess how big this new tire recall might actually be, because Foreign Tire Sales says it doesn’t really know how many defective tires are on the road.  Hangzhou is refusing to tell the importer exactly when it started omitting the gum strip.  Foreign Tire Sales filed suit against Hangzhou in Federal Court on May 31, seeking both monetary damages and an injunction preventing the tire maker from importing any more products to the U.S.

Foreign Tire Sales is also asking the NHTSA for help with the recall, claiming that costs of such an undertaking will push the company into bankruptcy.  Foreign Tire Sales has only seven employees, and does not manufacture tires itself.  Rather, it imports tires and has them sent directly to distributors.  According to the company, it cannot replace the defective tires as it does not have a ready stock of new ones available.   The NHTSA has refused to help, saying that it is the sole responsibility of Foreign Tire Sales to conduct the recall.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/11234 Sat, 28 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/11234
Firestone previously paid an undisclosed settlement in the case.

Plaintiff attorneys touted the case as the first Ford-Firestone case to go all the way to a verdict since Firestone tire recalls started in 1999.

"You have a situation where all the parties agreed there was a tire defect, but the question was who's ultimately responsible for the accident," a Corpus Christi plaintiff attorney said.

Attorneys for plaintiff Rose Maria Munoz argued that the vehicle had a problem known as a rear axle "skate" that led to the driver's inability to handle the vehicle after a de-tread. Attorneys also said Ford had a role in designing Firestone tires.

Ford spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes said the case would be appealed.

"Our concern goes out to Ms. Munoz, but this accident was caused by driver error," she said.

Braugh said the case also brought attention to the issue of tire aging and what automobile manufacturers needed to let consumers know.

"How do you age your tire? When is a tire old?" he said. He said the manufacturers have been aware of the problem since the late 1980s, but failed to provide information.

The vehicle in question was using an original spare tire sold with the vehicle that was more than 10 years old.

The accident occurred in 2002 near Poteet, Texas. Munoz was one of four occupants of an Explorer that had been sold as a 1999 Mazda Navajo. The left rear Firestone tire on the Navajo de-treaded, and the vehicle rolled several times. Munoz, who was ejected from the vehicle, was the only one seriously injured.

The three-week trial was before a jury of seven women and five men.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8458 Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8458
The company said fewer than 15 injuries have been substantiated that involved vehicles equipped with the tires.

The offer involves Bridgestone's Dueler A/T tires in size LT285/75R16 LR D that were manufactured in Japan from 1998 to 2002 and sold in the United States and Canada.

The Nashville-based company said internal data suggest "that a small percentage of these tires may experience belt detachment," especially if the tires were inflated above or below recommended pressures.

Such a problem could cause loss of vehicle control and possibly a crash, the company said.

The voluntary replacement campaign comes six months after Bridgestone/Firestone recalled about 490,000 Steeltex tires linked to sport-utility vehicle crashes that killed five people.

Four years ago, the company recalled 17 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires. More than 200 people were reported killed and hundreds more injured in rollover crashes after the tread on those tires separated.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8028 Mon, 15 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/8028
The settlement, approved by State District Judge Donald Floyd, comes more than three years after the 2000 recall of 14.4 million Firestone tires amid safety concerns. More than 100 objectors had contested the settlement.

The lawsuits resolved as part of the settlement include those filed by Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT customers whose tires were among those investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2000.

The settlement calls for Firestone to pay an estimated $70 million to replace tires, $41 million to manufacture certain tires with materials that provide better high speed capacity, $15.5 million on a consumer education and awareness campaign and $19 million for attorneys fees. The company also has paid $3.5 million to notify class members of the settlement plan.

"We are pleased with the judge's decision," Firestone spokesman Dan MacDonald said Monday. "We believe that this settlement really is in the best interest of all concerned."

The 45 named plaintiffs each could receive up to $2,500. Those who are not named but owned one of 22 brands of Bridgestone/Firestone tires between 1991 and 2001 qualify to have their tires replaced.

The settlement could affect an estimated 15 million drivers and involve about 60 million tires.

"We believe this will make the roads safer and in the long run, it will save lives," MacDonald said. "It is another important step to putting this whole matter behind us." ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/5811 Sat, 26 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/5811
According to the suit filed Thursday, Howard Stone, 66, was driving north when the right rear tire came apart on the 1992 Aerostar van he was driving, which flipped.

Stone was killed and two sons Joseph, then 10, and Shaun, then 11 were injured and airlifted to a Tampa hospital.

Investigators at the scene said the three were ejected from the vehicle and it appeared they were not wearing seat belts.

The lawsuit was filed in Pasco County circuit court by Coral Gables attorneys Lewis Eidson and Sean Cleary on behalf of Stone's widow, Ronnie.

The crash happened about 5 p.m. on July 2, 2001, a half mile south of the State Road 52 overpass in Pasco. Investigators reported at the time that a tire blew out, and the van veered into the median and flipped.

The tire that reportedly blew out was made by Dayton Tire, a company owned by the Bridgestone/Firestone company.

At the time of the crash, Firestone was seeing a hail of complaints from drivers saying the company's tires had failed and caused accidents, but only a handful involved Dayton tires.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reported no recalls of 1992 Ford Aerostars for stability or handling problems.

In addition to the tire and auto makers, the suit also names the dealership that sold Stone the van Flammer Ford of Tarpon Springs and several Bridgestone/Firestone tire dealers, without specifying which might have sold him the tire. Named are Nick Nicholas Ford of Inverness, Countryside Towing & Auto Service of Inverness, City Tire of Inverness, Tony's Auto Clinic of Inverness and Affordable Muffler of Inverness.

In the suit, attorneys for Stone's family argue Bridgestone/Firestone didn't test its tires adequately and didn't include instructions on how to handle a vehicle when a tire blows out.

The suit also claims the Aerostar was prone to rollovers and wasn't tested.

In 2001, Bridgestone/Firestone settled a pending complaint with attorneys general from 53 states and territories, agreeing to spend $41.5-million and undergo manufacturing changes as part of a settlement over defective tires that led to hundreds of deaths nationwide.

The tiremaker agreed to pay $500,000 to each state and use $5-million for a consumer education campaign and reimburse the states $10-million in attorneys' fees.

The company also agreed to stop making some tires, change manufacturing procedures, undergo additional reviews and testify against former partner Ford Motor Co. in any future legal action brought by the states.

Ronnie Stone declined to comment Friday, and her attorneys did not return a telephone call. A Ford spokesman was unavailable Friday and a Dayton Tire spokesman did not return a call for comment.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4167 Thu, 09 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4167
Circuit Judge Howard Bryan said terms were confidential.

Killed in the 2000 crash of the Ford Explorer was Earl Shinhoster, a veteran NAACP official in Atlanta. The wreck also injured Samimah Aziz, a goddaughter of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and the driver, Ademah Hackshaw.

The Explorer was in a motorcade with the first lady of Liberia and a state patrol escort.

Shinhoster's wife, Ruby Shinhoster, and the two survivors had sued Ford and Bridgestone, claiming the companies were responsible for the crash.

Ruby Shinhoster said she was ready to go through a trial but felt the case had gone on long enough. The settlement was reached just before the trial was to begin.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4127 Tue, 07 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4127
The companies did not settle with Earl Shinhoster's widow, Ruby, and the trial of her wrongful death claims was to continue today with jury selection.

Attorneys and others involved would not discuss the settlement because Macon County Circuit Judge Howard Bryan placed them under a gag order until after the trial. The settlement was confirmed by several sources close to the case who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Shinhoster, a former NAACP acting executive director in Atlanta, was a passenger in a Ford Explorer that overturned on June 11, 2000, on Interstate 85.

The Explorer was part of a security motorcade traveling 80 mph in a 70 mph zone carrying Shinhoster to Montgomery. Traveling in another vehicle was the first lady of Liberia, Jewel Howard-Taylor.

The lawsuit is one of many filed in accidents involving alleged failure of Firestone tires and Ford Explorer rollovers. Joining Shinhoster's wife in the suit were passenger Samimah Aziz and driver Ademah Hackshaw. Aziz, a goddaughter of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, suffered serious injuries and Hackshaw minor injuries.

Aziz, who now walks with a cane, got word of the settlement Monday as attorneys came into the courtroom and congratulated her.

The lawsuit claims a tire blew out and ''disintegrated,'' and that Bridgestone-Firestone knew the tire was defective. The lawsuit also claims Ford was at fault because defects allegedly caused the vehicle to roll over after the blowout.

Earlier Monday, Ford released a statement saying excessive speed and an old tire contributed to the crash. The statement added that Aziz was not wearing a seat belt, and rescue workers had difficulty removing Shinhoster from the vehicle.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/1624 Tue, 10 Sep 2002 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/1624
The first recall involves 18,912 tires produced at Firestone's Wilson, N.C., plant, some of which may have a production flaw that resulted from a machine malfunction. The company said some of the recalled tires may have pockets of air trapped under the treads, which could lead to chunks of rubber coming loose.

Firestone, the U.S. unit of Japan's Bridgestone Corp ( news - external web site)., said it thought it had identified all of the flawed tires shortly after they were manufactured, but recently became aware that some 890 of the 18,912 tires manufactured during a two-week period in April were shipped out. The recalled tires may have been used on Toyota Motor Corp's 2003 model-year Toyota Corolla S and LE vehicles assembled from mid-April through early September.

In order to assure they locate all of the affected tires, the company is recalling the entire production from those two weeks. The recalled tires are Firestone FR690 tires in the size P195/65R15 and are identified with the Department of Transportation numbers W2C6T001402 and W2C6T001502. There are no claims for property damage or injury caused by the recalled tires, or any of the tires in this line and size, the company said.

The second recall involves approximately 754 Widetrack brand Baja A/T tires in size 30x9.50R15 produced over a 21-day period beginning Sept. 23, 2001, at Firestone's LaVergne, Tenn., plant. The recalled tires didn't comply with the tire marking requirements set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for new compressed air tires for nonpassenger car vehicles.

The company's analysis and review of the manufacturing process showed that all of the affected Widetrack brand Baja A/T tires met all other requirements, and the company believes that the incorrect tire markings didn't compromise motor vehicle safety. The maximum load as stated on the tire, in both English and metric units, was actually less than the actual maximum load for these tires. The company said that it's not likely the tires would be placed in an unsafe, overload situation as a result of the incorrect marking.

The tires which are the subject of this recall can be identified as follows: Widetrack brand Baja A/T with Department of Transportation serial numbers W166WB03801, W166WB03901 and W166WB04001. The company will immediately begin contacting dealers who have been shipped these tires in order to identify any consumers who may have purchased these tires. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/1295 Tue, 13 Aug 2002 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/1295
The suit was filed in Riverside County Superior Court on behalf of Roger Littell and asks that Bridgestone/Firestone recall three models of the tire and reimburse owners for the cost of the tires.

While the suit claims that people have been killed in accidents because of the alleged failure of the Steeltex tire, it isn't a personal-injury claim and doesn't seek punitive damages.

The suit asserts that Bridgestone/Firestone knew that the more than 27.5 million Steeltex R4S, R4SII and A/T tires that have been sold contained a lamination defect that could cause the entire tread to separate in a matter of seconds, leading to the tire's total disintegration.

Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed a 16-month investigation into the Steeltex tires after saying it could find no evidence of a design defect.

"Bottom line, neither the agency charged with overseeing the safety of our roads nor our company believes any action regarding the Steeltex line of tire is warranted," Bridgestone/Firestone said in a statement Tuesday. "We are disappointed that certain plaintiffs' lawyers will try to create fear and concern among the driving public for their own personal gain."

The lawsuit stems from an earlier civil suit filed against Bridgestone/ Firestone in connection with a July 2000 accident that killed two people and injured nine. The 11 passengers were riding in a large Ford passenger van on Interstate 15 in California on the way back from Las Vegas when a Steeltex tire blew out, causing the van to flip over once.

The suit was settled this April. Terms of the settlement were confidential.

The lawyer representing the plaintiffs in that case said Bridgestone/Firestone declined a request to voluntarily recall their Steeltex tire, leading to Tuesday's lawsuit suit.

"This litigation is not about money, it's about responsibility," Joseph Lisoni, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said Tuesday at a news conference in Pasadena.

Mr. Lisoni said in addition to the lawsuit, notices were being sent to 1,300 Firestone dealers through the U.S. and to government officials, demanding the immediate recall of the three Steeltex models.

Mr. Lisoni alleged that the Steeltex tire fails much the same way as the Firestone Wilderness series.

"It's the same exact manufacturing process on a different tire," he said.

In August 2000, the Nashville-based company recalled 6.5 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires, many sold as standard equipment on the Ford Explorer. Last November, state attorneys general announced Bridgestone/Firestone will pay $41.5 million in a settlement to end state lawsuits over the tires. ]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/756 Thu, 06 Jun 2002 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/756
The Rubber Manufacturers Association, a group that represents tire makers, did the study that said many of today's tires wouldn't pass the test even though the group claims they're safe.

Congress ordered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to update tire safety standards in 2000 after the recall of millions of Firestone tires. The current standards were written in 1967, before modern radial tires even existed, and industry and safety advocates agree they are in dire need of an update.

"We've waited a long time for the government to improve this test," said R. David Pittle, senior vice president for technical policy at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine. "It appears to us that these tests are reasonable, but they do press the industry to make safer, more durable tires."

NHTSA estimates about 414 deaths and 10,275 injuries a year might be caused by blowouts and other tire failures. The agency says the proposed rules could save 27 lives and prevent 667 injuries a year and cost the tire industry about dlrs 282 million annually.

Tires are tested on a wheel that presses the tread against the outside of a steel cylinder, which represents contact with the ground.

The tests are required by NHTSA, but conducted in-house by manufacturers. Every type of tire must pass to be sold in the United States.

The agency's proposal for a new standard would require manufacturers to run the tires on the test wheel for a longer time and at higher speeds.

The proposal also includes new tests to determine the likelihood of tire failure from striking a road hazard, like a pothole, and from the tire coming off the vehicle wheel during a hard driving maneuver. It adds new tests to ensure a tire won't fail when underinflated and to assess the tire's performance after it ages.

NHTSA estimates about a third of today's tires would not meet the standard. But an analysis by the Rubber Manufacturers Association found that as many as 42 percent of car tires and 54 percent of light truck tires may not meet the standard.

The agency says about 0.5 percent of all crashes are caused by tire problems.

Agency officials say the proposal will change, but they would not comment on what the changes might be.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/761 Wed, 05 Jun 2002 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/761
Parties in the lawsuit settled following jury selection in state district court in Edinburg.

Attorneys for survivors of Raul Aguirre Pedraza and Ana Maria Martinez claimed Ford and Uniroyal were negligent and liable for designing, respectively "defective and unreasonably dangerous" vehicles and tires. Ideal Autos, Inc., also named in the lawsuit, was blamed for marketing and selling the tire. Tipton Motors, Inc. was named for performing improper repairs on the 1995 vehicle.

Shortly before the June 7, 2000, accident, Pedraza and his wife had transferred a Uniroyal "Tiger Paw" tire from a Chevrolet they owned to the Explorer.

According to court papers, the tire failed and the vehicle became uncontrollable and rolled over, causing their deaths.

"Michelin is satisfied with the settlement," Michelin spokeswoman Nan Banks said, adding that the tire had had an improper repair and was 13 years old at the time of the accident. Michelin acquired the Uniroyal brand in 1989.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/39 Fri, 21 Dec 2001 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/39
Chuck Burt, 26, of White Lake, Mich., was paralyzed on June 25, 2000 when a tire tread separation caused the vehicle to roll over on Interstate 96 in Livingston County, Mich., his attorney Bob Tyler said.

Burt was riding in the back seat with his daughter as his wife drove, Tyler said.

The case was scheduled to go to trial Jan. 7 in Livingston County Circuit Court, but Burt decided to settle with both companies, Tyler said.

``It becomes a client's decision. They have to look at what's being offered to them, what they can do with the remainder of their life, and make a practical choice,'' Tyler said.

``This is another example of the Firestone program to try to reach an appropriate settlement with injured parties whenever possible,'' said Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. spokeswoman, Christine Karbowiak.

The Nashville, Tenn.-based tire maker has settled close to 500 cases out of court so far, Karbowiak said.

Under pressure from the federal government, Bridgestone/Firestone agreed last year to recall 6.5 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires.

Last May, the almost century-old relationship between Firestone and Ford was severed when the automaker began a program to buy back 13 million Firestone tires it believed would deteriorate quicker than competitors' tires.

In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its investigation after Bridgestone/Firestone agreed to recall 3.5 million more Wilderness ATs.

At that time, NHTSA downplayed the role of the Explorer in accidents that killed at least 271 and injured at least 700. But a NHTSA official later said that the agency is still examining the evidence and will likely decide by year's end whether to begin a formal investigation into the Explorer.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4308 Sat, 18 Aug 2001 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4308
Allan Rauner, tire and wheel engineer for the Explorer, testified by videotaped deposition Saturday that in 1999, Ford surveyed 4,236 reports of tire and wheel problem with the Explorer and found 32 "possible tread separations." Of that number, said Rauner, there were 22 Firestone tires and 10 Goodyears.

There have been over 200 deaths and 800 injuries in the U.S. attributed to Explorers rolling over after a tire loses its tread. Ford compelled Bridgestone/Firestone to recall 6.5 million ATX and Wilderness AT tires last year. And last May, Ford agreed to replace on its own another 13.5 Wilderness AT tires it said, after months of tire testing and data analysis, posed an "unacceptable safety risk" to its customers.

Ford has maintained since the controversy surfaced last year that the Firestone tires have been at fault for the rollover accidents. Since last fall, Bridgestone has maintained that Ford had long recommended a too-low tire pressure of 26 pounds per square inch that overburdened the tires, and that a design defect in the Explorer makes the vehicle too vulnerable to rollover during a tire failure.

Key to Ford's defense that a Firestone tire defect is responsible for the rollovers is that out of almost three million Goodyear tires fitted onto Explorers in 1996 through 1998, it had no reports of tread separation. Based on property damage claims supplied by the tire companies, and reported in the fall of 2000, Firestone reported over 1,000 tread separation claims on its Wilderness AT tires, while Goodyear reported just two.

Though Ford is not represented in court here, Bridgestone/Firestone is defending itself in a $1 billion lawsuit brought on behalf of the Rodriguez family of Renosa, Texas, who were in a rollover accident in their Explorer in March 2000 in Mexico. Marisa Rodriguez was left brain damaged and paralyzed after her Explorer rolled over three times. The accident was set off by the right rear Firestone tire losing its tread.

Ford settled the case for $6 million. Bridgestone/Firestone could not come to a settlement agreement with the Rodriguez family who, according to sources, attempted to force the tire company to recall all of the Wilderness AT tires it made for Ford as a condition of any settlement

Ford's Rauner said the survey was conducted in order to make a report to Ford's Critical Concerns Review Group. Rauner testified that about one-third of the tread belt separation cases on Explorers in the Ford database involved Goodyear tires. Asked why Ford, and specifically Nasser, has maintained that it saw no cases of tread separations in Goodyear tires, Rauner said, "He (Nasser) may have misspoken, or (been) misinformed on the number."

Rauner had drawn the more than 4,200 reports of tire and wheel problems from an internal database of Ford's that includes warranty claims, customer complaints among other reports of product problems.

Bridgestone/Firestone Saturday put up its expert witness, a one-time Ford employee and current vehicle dynamics engineer, who told jurors that he believes Ford's own test data on the Explorer sold between 1990 and 2001, which he recently analyzed, shows the Explorer to be defective in its ability to withstand a tire emergency such as a tread separation.

"A tread separation is not as serious an incident as a blowout," said Dr. Christopher Shapley. "And a blowout should not cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle...blowouts and tread separations are foreseeable events that a driver should be able to handle without crashing or rolling over," said Shapley.

Shapley supported and advanced the position put forth by Bridgestone/Firestone earlier this year that the Explorer's problem is excessive oversteer in an emergency handling situation-meaning that the vehicle over-responds when the driver turns the wheel. A driver turning the wheel just three or four inches during an event like a tread separation, for example, has the effect of turning the vehicle as if the driver turned the wheel a full revolution.

Shapley testified that Ford has collected abundant testing data showing the Explorer to be defective. "But I don't think they have analyzed it."

Ford has maintained that the Explorer's handling characteristics and safety are as good or better in some measurements than the industry average for sport utilities.

A Ford spokesman did not return phone calls on Saturday.

The Rodriguez family, represented by Arkansas lawyer Tab Turner, Corpus Christi attorney Guy Allison and McAllen attorney Robert Salazar among others, is seeking a $1 billion judgment. However, the actual award is expected to be far less.

The jury, which will probably convene Tuesday after the Bridgestone defense rests, will be instructed to assign a percentage of blame for the accident that injured Marisa Rodriguez. That blame will be apportioned to Ford and Bridgestone based on the jury's findings.

Ford already settled with the Rodriguez family.

In an odd twist, Turner used charts and tables created by Ford and posted on the automaker's Web site to support the company's position that the Explorer is safe in order to make his case against Bridgestone.

These are charts that Turner has debunked in previous cases where he has litigated against Ford. Turner may again face off against Ford in Texas state court next month in a case involving an Explorer rollover.

Bridgestone/Firestone chief executive John Lampe testified Friday that the company's net worth will be about $1.1 billion by year end. That is down from $2.4 billion at the end of 1999, before its consumer business was hurt by negative publicity over the tire recall.

"That's not cash we have in the bank," Lampe quickly asserted to the jury. "That's our net worth if you subtract liabilities from our assets."

Bridgestone/Firestone's much larger parent company, Japan's Bridgestone, does not have liability in the Rodriguez case.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/34 Tue, 24 Jul 2001 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/34
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said there have been at least 338 claims of tread separation on the P235/70R16 size of the General Ameri 550 AS tire - the same problem that plagued some Firestone tire lines and led to last summer's massive recall.

The claims include seven crashes, two of them rollovers, that reportedly caused a total of 17 injuries. No deaths have been reported, the agency said.

NHTSA's action was triggered by information collected by congressional staffers investigating the safety of Firestone tires.

At a hearing last month, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Billy Tauzin announced that some of the tire brands that Ford Motor Co. was using to replace Firestone tires had higher rates of claims for injury and property damage.

He would not name the tires until NHTSA had a chance to review the committee's analysis. NHTSA refused to identify the other 10 lines that it examined but decided not to investigate.

Tauzin, R-La., said in a statement that ``NHTSA is taking an important step today toward better safeguarding American drivers.''

The Ameri 550 tire is used as original equipment on Ford F150 pickups and was identified by Ford as a replacement for Firestone Wilderness AT tires on the Ranger and 1997 F-series trucks.

Continental Tire North America Inc., which manufactures the General tire brand and is a subsidiary of German automotive supplier Continental AG, did not immediately return calls for comment. But NHTSA said Continental has made several design and production changes to these tires since they were first made in April 1995.

NHTSA said the claims rates for tires made after July 1998 were extremely low, and there have been no injuries attributed to those tires. Ford officials did not immediately return calls for comment, but have said the company is using the newer tires as replacements on its vehicles.

``Nevertheless, to assure that relevant information is not missed, NHTSA's investigation will consider the safety performance of the entire population of these tires, rather than only those produced prior to those design changes,'' NHTSA said in a statement.

Tauzin spokesman Ken Johnson said while the General Ameri 550 that NHTSA is investigating had 124.4 tread separation claims per million tires produced, the same size Wilderness AT tire had 17.4 per million. He said none of the six tread separation claims on those tires resulted in injury.

``For many consumers, that can't be too comforting,'' he said.

``Clearly the next step is up to Ford,'' Johnson said. ``Company officials said repeatedly that they wanted hard evidence of a potential problem. Well, they've got it now.''

NHTSA is wrapping up its yearlong investigation into more than 55 million Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires. Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has already voluntarily recalled 6.5 million of the tires, but NHTSA said it will push for a larger recall.

Bridgestone/Firestone says the tires are safe and it will fight such an order in court.

Ford, concerned about the safety of the Wilderness AT tires, recalled all 13 million of the tires on its vehicles in May at a cost of $2.1 billion. Bridgestone/Firestone cut off its centurylong business partnership with Ford that same week.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/31 Thu, 19 Jul 2001 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/31
The unit of Bridgestone Corp. has defended the safety of the tires since Ford Motor Co. announced in May that it was replacing 13 million Wilderness AT tires on its vehicles, asserting it had serious doubts about their safety. The move led Firestone to sever its nearly 100-year-old relationship with Ford.

In a statement, Firestone said further action by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving the tires was unnecessary, adding that it would use "every available step" to prove that its tires are safe, including pursuing the issue in court.

Last August, Firestone announced a voluntary recall of 6.5 million 15-inch ATX, ATX II and same-sized Wilderness AT tires made at the company's Decatur, Illinois, plant.

Those tires, linked to 203 deaths and at least 700 injuries in crashes mainly in the south and southwest United States, were largely fitted as standard equipment on Ford's Explorer sport utility vehicles. Firestone has contended the Explorer has safety flaws of its own. Ford has vehemently denied those charges.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/33 Mon, 21 May 2001 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/33
Aug., 1999 - Ford offers customers in Saudi Arabia free replacements for tires in question.

Feb., 2000 - Ford offers free replacement tires for vehicles in Malaysia and Thailand.

May - Ford offers to replace tires for customers in Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

May 2 - After receiving numerous inquiries and complaints from consumers in the U.S., the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) opens a preliminary probe of the alleged failure of ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tires made by Firestone.

May 8 - NHTSA asks Bridgestone/Firestone for information about the tires in question as part of its preliminary evaluation.

May 10 - NHTSA asks Ford for information about the tires and the use of the tires in the carmaker's product lines.

Aug. 1 - Two safety groups, Public Citizen and Strategic Safety, appeal to Ford to recall millions of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks made over last decade, claiming the tire tread can peel off.

Aug. 3 - NHTSA says it is probing 21 deaths in crashes of pickup trucks and SUVs in which tire failure may have played a role.

Aug. 4 - Sears, Roebuck & Co., the No. 1 U.S. tire retailer, stops selling certain Firestone tires.

Aug. 7 - NHTSA says it is probing at least 46 deaths potentially related to failures of Firestone tires. Discount Tire Co. and Montgomery Ward also say they will suspend sale of Firestone tires until more information is made available.

Aug. 9 - Bridgestone announces the recall of 6.5 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tires of certain sizes produced by its Firestone unit and offers to replace them.

Aug. 15 - NHTSA raises to 62 from 46 the number of traffic deaths linked to Firestone tires and says it is looking into reports of 100 injuries, with almost all of those involving Ford Explorer SUVs.

Aug. 21 - Ford announces it will idle three truck assembly plants to free up tires for recall replacements. The automaker also begins prime-time television advertising featuring Chief Executive Jacques Nasser in an effort to repair its image, battered by the recall.

Aug. 22 - Bridgestone says it will fly tires from Japan to the U.S. to provide replacements for recalled tires.

Aug. 23 - Bridgestone says it will boost production to 450,000 tires annually at three Japanese plants to provide replacement tires for the recall.

Aug. 25 - Venezuelan consumer protection agency says it has evidence of deception by Ford and Bridgestone that cost lives in traffic accidents.

Aug. 28 - Bridgestone says it will boost production in Japan to 650,000 tires from 450,000 earlier for replacements.

Aug. 31 - NHTSA raises the number of deaths linked to Firestone tires to 88 from 62, and the number of injuries to 250 from 100. Venezuela's consumer protection agency recommends Bridgestone and Ford be prosecuted over tires linked to 46 deaths in Venezuela.

Sept. 1 - NHTSA warns motorists about an additional 1.4 million Firestone tires that may have even greater problems than the 6.5 million recalled. Firestone says it disagrees with the analysis and refuses to recall the tires.

Sept. 4 - Bridgestone/Firestone reaches agreement with union to settle labor dispute and avert a strike at nine U.S. plants. Bridgestone agrees to recall all 62,000 Wilderness AT Firestone tires in Venezuela.

Sept. 6 - Lawmakers criticize Ford and Firestone at separate House and Senate hearings. Firestone's chief executive apologies, while Ford says it will not rest until every faulty tire is replaced.

Sept 19 - Bridgestone says spiraling costs of tire recall to reach $400-500 million in the business year to next March, $50-$150 million more than originally projected.

Sept 19 - NHTSA raises the number of deaths linked to Firestone tires to 103 from 88, and the number of injuries to more than 400 from 250.

Sept 29 - U.S. highway safety investigators expand probe of Firestone tires to include the company's Steeltex line of light truck tires following 169 complaints related to Steeltex radials since the beginning of 1998, including two deaths.

Oct 5 - House Commerce Committee unanimously backs legislation aimed at strengthening highway safety in the wake of Firestone recall.

Oct 10 - Bridgestone/Firestone replaces Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Masatoshi Ono with John Lampe, who becomes first American to lead Bridgestone/Firestone since it was bought by Bridgestone in 1988.

Oct 17 - NHTSA raises number of deaths linked to Firestone tires to 119 and number of injuries to more than 500.

Oct 17 - Bridgestone/Firestone announces production cut at three U.S. plants and lays off 450 people at its Decatur, Illinois, facility. Firestone's total North American output to fall by 20 percent.

Oct 18 - Ford third-quarter operating earnings fall 16.3 percent to $994 million, hit by $500 million in costs related to Firestone recall.

Oct 20 - Bridgestone stock plunges 12.25 percent to year-low of 938 yen, down 60 percent since early August.

Oct 23 - Bridgestone says in Tokyo it found no major development or production problems at its U.S. Firestone unit, and that there was no one specific cause behind the tire problems.

Nov 17 - Bridgestone/Firestone says to cut tire production at two U.S. plants in January, resulting in temporary layoff of about 1,100 workers.

Dec 5 - Bridgestone President and Chief Executive Officer Yoichiro Kaizaki denies the U.S. unit was in danger of failing, and says tire maker would set aside $450 million this year to settle claims.

Dec 6 - NHTSA raises number of deaths linked to Firestone tires to 148.

Dec 14 - Bridgestone slashes profit estimate for this year by 80 percent and says to take a $750 million special loss this year to cover recall costs and potential damage claims.

Dec 27 - Ford settles at least eight lawsuits and says plans to settle many more cases stemming from accidents involving Ford Explorer vehicles and Firestone tires.

Jan 2, 2001 - Bridgestone/Firestone recalls another 8,000 tires with adhesion problems that were made in Mexico and equipped on General Motors Corp. SUVs.

Jan 4 - U.S. consumer group Public Citizen urges Bridgestone/Firestone to almost double its recall of 6.5 million tires, saying it was narrowly focused and hastily imposed.

Jan 11 - Bridgestone announces Kaizaki to resign to salvage the company's image.

Feb 6 - NHTSA raises to 174 the number of deaths connected to Firestone tires.

May 16 - New York Times reports Ford has concluded that there are problems with a number of Firestone tire models beyond those recalled, and is leaning toward demanding a wider recall. Firestone says its analysis of data does not support the allegations made by Ford.

May 20 - Ford says it is recalling 50,000 of its new 2002 Explorer sport utility vehicles because an assembly line problem may have cut tire treads. Ford says the problem is unrelated to the Firestone recall.

May 21 - Firestone says it is severing nearly a century of business ties with Ford and charges that the automaker is trying to deflect attention away from problems with the Explorer.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4310 Fri, 02 Mar 2001 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/4310
Linda Houssiere, of the firm Houssiere Durant and Houssiere, confirmed Friday the settlements involving 78 people who either were killed or injured in rollover wrecks. Most were Texans. Bridgestone/Firestone spokeswoman Jill Bratina confirmed the settlement without additional comment.

Terms of the confidential settlements were not revealed by Houssiere or Firestone, although the attorney said her firm's clients received "a premium."

The lawsuits, filed in Harris and other counties around Texas, alleged tread separation in Firestone tires caused Ford Explorers to roll over.

Most of the firm's clients, who settled with Firestone at the end of last week, already had settled with Ford Motor in the last few months, Houssiere said. The firm still has suits pending against the tiremaker and Ford.

"(The clients) are ecstatic," Houssiere said. "I've done a lot of thinking about that, and I think it's because litigation didn't go on so long. They weren't put through depositions, hearings, or long protracted waiting. I've never seen clients so happy as these, because they didn't have time for animosity to build up."

None of Houssiere's cases was scheduled for trial before June, she said.

In August 2000, Firestone recalled 6.5 million tires after reports of hundreds of rollover accidents nationwide involving the combination of Firestone tires and Ford sport utility vehicles.

An outside consultant hired by Bridgestone/Firestone issued a study last month that found hot weather was a primary factor in the tire failures, but other factors included design; manufacturing differences among different Bridgestone/Firestone plants, especially the Decatur, Ill., plant; and usage.

Sanjay Govindjee, a civil engineer at the University of California-Berkeley, reached conclusions similar to those arrived at in December by the tire company's internal investigators.

In another Texas case handled by different law firm, Donna Bailey, 43, of Corpus Christi left a quadriplegic as a result of an Explorer rollover settled in January for an undisclosed amount with Firestone before her trial began.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/firestone_tires Fri, 02 Mar 2001 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/firestone_tires Firestone Tires Firestone tires were standard equipment on the Ford Explorer, the world's best-selling sport utility vehicle and have been linked to at least 174 U.S. traffic deaths and over 700 injuries.

Ford Motor Co. plans to replace 10 million to 13 million Firestone tires an amount that far surpasses the large recall previously ordered last summer by Bridgestone/Firestone. This extended recall of 13 million Firestone tires will cost Ford $3 billion and force it to idle three plants to free up tires to use as replacements. Ford said it is taking the extraordinary step of recalling the huge number of Wilderness AT tires because it considers them unsafe, and their manufacturer, Bridgestone-Firestone Inc., refuses to recall them.

Ford will replace all 15-, 16- and 17-inch Wilderness AT tires on its vehicles for free at Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers, and reimburse owners who purchase them elsewhere for up to $130 for the 16- and 17-inch tires. Jacques Nasser Ford CEO's said "We lack confidence in the performance of any of Firestone's Wilderness AT tires." "There are enough warning signs there, and we wanted to act in a precautionary sense.” he added.

With Ford recalling more Firestone Tires and Bridgestone/Firestone deciding to no longer sell tires to Ford, it is difficult for accident victims to know who to blame. This decision have caused an end to a 95-year relationship between Ford and Bridgestone and makes it clear that neither party will accept sole responsibility for the unusually large number of accidents involving Ford Explorer SUVs with Firestone tires.

However, Ford is blaming Firestone Tires and has stated that the problem points to the design and manufacture of certain Firestone tires built in Firestone's Decatur, Illinois plant.

If you or a loved have been injured by Firestone tires, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified product liability attorney.]]>