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WHEEL HUB DEFECTS


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Auto Defect Lawyer

Defective wheel hubs on automobiles and other consumer products may lead to wheel separation or exploding debris that may lead to blindness, dismemberment, and face and head injuries.

Failing wheel bearings on cars and trucks can lead to severe auto accidents. Other products such as wheelbarrows, carts, wagons and hand trucks are often manufactured with inferior plastic hub components which fail when under pressure or inflated and cause hub explosion.

Companies who purchase and install the cheapest wheel hubs without any regard for safety or design may be held liable for accidents and injuries that result from product defects.

Joe Lyon is an experienced Cincinnati Product Liability Lawyer and Ohio Recall Attorney reviewing cases of failing wheel bearings, exploding plastic wheel hubs and wheel separation injuries.


Wheel Hub Failure 


Many consumer product manufacturers use plastic wheel hubs in pneumatic tires because they are cheaper than the more stable metal wheel hubs. Plastic wheel hubs are more likely to explode because the material is weak or defective, and when consumer uses an air compressor to inflate the tire, the plastic may explode and shoot shrapnel into the consumer’s face and body.

Some products do not warn of such danger or instruct users on how to safely use the product. Even though manufacturers can use alternative designs and materials, reducing safety risks, they choose to put consumers in danger.


Causes of Wheel Hub Failure


Wheel system and hub failures are usually caused by improper design or the negligent installation of a wheel that causes it to be loose. If wheel studs break, the wheel and tire can separate from the vehicle.

Most wheel safety issues are associated with over-torquing or under-torquing a vehicle’s lug nuts. The primary causes of hub failures include:

  • Lack of lubrication
  • Overloading a vehicle
  • Installing the axle nut too tight
  • Installing the axle nut too loose
  • Over-inflation of tires
  • Defective materials
  • Improper design

Wheel Separation Accidents


Wheel separations on vehicles are uncommon but extremely hazardous to every motorist on the road. Injuries are likely in the occupants of the affected vehicle, and also to other motorists or bystanders.

If a wheel separates, there is a potential for serious injury or fatalities. Separated wheels may become heavy projectiles, launched in the air. Wheel separations are most likely during axle failures, wheel hub failures, or fastening failures—when the nuts on the studs unthread and fall off.


Wheel Defects


Auto accidents caused by wheels coming off of vehicles are called “wheel runoff crashes.” Two kinds of wheel failures cause runoff crashes. One is a malfunctioning wheel mounting system, such as the wheel studs and lug nuts, and the other is a defective wheel bearing assembly. Wheel failures are related to either improper maintenance or manufacturer defects.

Improper installation of a wheel can lead to loose wheels and the wheel and tire may separate from the vehicle.


Wheel System Failure


The primary causes of wheel hub failures are lack of lubrication, overloading vehicles, installing the axle nut too tight, or installing the axle nut too loose.

Over-torquing or under-torquing lug nuts can lead to wheel system failure. The use of lubricants and anti-seizing compounds on the threads of the wheels studs or lug nuts can cause over-torquing. The specific torque required for wheels vary from vehicle to vehicle. Usually, the proper torque for lug nuts on passenger vehicles will be around 100 foot-pounds and big trucks may require around 400 foot-pounds.

Under-torquing is also a problem, and consists of simply not tightening the wheel lug nuts properly. A less common cause of wheel system failure is too much wheel paint. If the wheel’s paint is too thick, the wheel system can fail.

Following a wheel hub accident, it is critical to preserve the remains of the product so it can be examined by experts. Take as many photos as possible of the accident scene, injuries and the damaged product. Witness accounts of the accident may also help build a case.

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ABOUT THE LYON FIRM

Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.

The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.

NO COST UNLESS WE WIN

The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.

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A Voice for Those who have suffered 

Why are these cases important?

Serious injuries and accidents often result through no fault of the injured party, yet the injured victim suffers from life altering physical, mental and financial losses. Such economic and human losses can have devastating financial consequences for individuals and families if not properly compensated. Tort law allows those individuals to seek just legal recourse through personal injury lawsuits.

CONTACT THE LYON FIRM TODAY

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Questions about Wheel Hub Defects

Can I File an Auto Defect Lawsuit?

You may not be aware that your car is defective. It is not always obvious when your seat belt or other safety component fails to function as intended. It can take an expert in auto engineering to determine what contributed to an accident or injury.

You can contact The Lyon Firm, and we will work diligently to review your auto accident case. If an auto defect was in part responsible for an auto injury, a lawsuit can be filed and a large settlement is likely.

If negligent manufacturers and automakers are directly responsible for an auto-related injury, a product liability and personal injury lawsuit may be filed and compensation may be recovered for accident victims. Plaintiffs may seek compensation that may include property damages, past and future medical expenses, lost wages and future earnings, and pain and suffering.

The Lyon Firm takes pride in representing consumers to make America’s roads safer by holding negligent auto manufacturers accountable for auto defects that lead to accidents and injuries. When car makers fail to institute basic safety measures and fail to test auto components before releasing cars tot he public, they may be targeted in product liability lawsuits.

What is the Process?

Pre-Suit Investigation and Negotiations: Personal injury lawsuits are unique and require a thorough investigation before a lawsuit is filed. An initial investigation involves gathering all relevant medical records, accident reports, and interviews with available witnesses.  Preservation letters are drafted to notify the defendant of the case. The duty to preserve electronic evidence is critical in most cases to prevent spoliation.

Filing a Lawsuit in Cincinnati: If pre-suit negotiations are unsuccessful, then a lawsuit must be filed to preserve the statute of limitations.  Filing a lawsuit early in the process is often necessary to begin gathering evidence while the witnesses memories are fresh and documents remain available.

Once suit is filed by your personal injury lawyer, the court will set a case management schedule and the parties will begin exchanging information in the formal process of discovery. Depositions will be taken to preserve testimony for trial and to understand what certain witnesses are likely to say at trial.

Proving Negligence, Causation and Damages: In addition to lay witness testimony and other documentary evidence, personal injury claims rely upon medical and scientific evidence to prove negligence, causation and damages. The chosen expert in a case must have a reliable and sound basis in science and in the facts of the case or his opinion may not be admissible under the rules of evidence.

In the areas of Toxic and Environmental Torts, the admission of expert testimony may be scrutinized harder than in other areas simply because the subject may not have been as widely tested and may rest on novel scientific theories.

Has My Car Been Recalled?

Consumers can follow recall news or search for current and past recalls on the Web sites of the NHTSA, as well as on other car safety advocate outlets. Look on your car windshield for a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. Your VIN is also located on your car’s registration card.

If your car has been recalled and you have suffered an injury, contact an auto defect attorney to investigate a potential claim

Did an Auto Defect Cause my Accident?

Auto defects have been known to cause accidents in tire failure, tread separation accidents, brake malfunction and sudden acceleration cases.

Auto defects may not cause every accident, but they can play an integral part in causing injury in the event of an accident. This is common in defective seat back collapse, seat belt defects and airbag defects. When these crucial safety features fail to function as they were intended.

Who is Responsible for Auto Defects?

Auto manufacturers and car makers can be held liable in auto defect lawsuits. Many automakers outsource some of their production and may not always be aware of some defects. Honda, for example, purchased all their defective airbags from Takata.

Some defective auto part suits name other defendants like negligent auto dealerships or auto repair shops who alter car parts or fail to properly repair automobiles and leave a serious safety risk.

What Cars are Defective?

The list of defective automobiles changes each year, and it is more likely that certain components are defective rather than an entire brand name. Nowadays many car makers use the same third-party suppliers, which compounds safety issues when a defective auto part is produced.

Why Hire a Product Liability Attorney?

A Cincinnati Auto Defect Lawyer can assist in not only reviewing your accident and injury case, but is able to hold large corporations accountable for the negligent actions in releasing unsafe products to the public.

Auto companies must be held liable in order to keep the roads safe in America. So not only can The Lyon Firm seek compensation for injured plaintiffs, but we can file lawsuits to punish car makers for failing to properly test their auto parts before they are sold to the public.

When car makers fail to produce reliable cars and fail to provide basic road safety features, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and product liability attorneys can hold them responsible and help mitigate injuries and future damages.

The majority of accidents and injuries on the road are preventable, but defective auto design and manufacturing defects may leave victims with huge medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and, in many cases, permanent injuries.