Lisoni & Lisoni Responds to Bridgestone/Firestone Move of Class Action Lawsuit Over Steeltex Tires to Federal Court

    PASADENA, Calif.--Sept. 19, 2002--Plaintiffs' attorneys in the class action lawsuit against Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. and Bridgestone Corporation over its Steeltex tire series today expressed satisfaction with the petition filed last week by the international tire manufacturer to move the recently filed lawsuit from California Superior Court to the Eastern District of the United States District Court.
    According to Joseph Lisoni of the Pasadena, CA law firm of Lisoni & Lisoni, which filed the class action lawsuit on August 12, 2002 in conjunction with The Law Offices of Steven E. Weinberger, the federal courts are the appropriate venue for this issue to be resolved and he is pleased that Bridgestone/Firestone has taken this action.
    The class action lawsuit alleges that Bridgestone/Firestone's Steeltex R4S, R4SII and A/T tire series contain a lamination defect which can -- and has -- caused the entire tread of the tire to separate leading to the tire's destruction. Causes of action in the lawsuit charged the tire manufacturer with Fraudulent Concealment, Deceptive Practices in Violation of the CLRA, Violations of the Unfair Practices Act, Negligence and Strict Liability.
    On September 12, 2002 Bridgestone/Firestone filed a "Notice of Removal" to remove the lawsuit from the California state court to the local federal district court. Among the grounds for this action, it cited the fact the plaintiffs were pleading federal claims, required interpretation of federal law, seeking to impose California statutory standards upon individuals outside of California and were applying laws that related to the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
    Commenting on the removal of the lawsuit to federal court, Lisoni stated: "This legal action was filed to protect and represent the interests of Americans throughout the country who have purchased one of the more than 27.5 million Steeltex tires manufactured. We welcome the change to the federal jurisdiction as we do Bridgestone/Firestone's request for a jury trial. This issue should be decided by American citizens."
    Lisoni emphasized that in the four weeks since the lawsuit was filed, he has received scores of reports from Steeltex tire owners nationwide of tire defects and damages as well as accidents and injuries resulting from the defects. "We are gathering evidence and documentation from them which we will be presenting to NHTSA, a subdivision of the U.S. Department of Transportation, on November 14 with our formal petition to reopen the investigation into the Steeltex tires." Part of the evidence, he emphasized, will be damaged tires which will be transported to Washington, D.C.
    The purpose of this lawsuit is not about money, Lisoni stressed, adding: "First and foremost, it is to motivate Bridgestone/Firestone to take responsibility for their defective product and do what is best for the safety of its customers -- immediately recall the entire Steeltex tire series."