Chorus of Leading Consumer Safety Groups Now Call on NHTSA To Re-Open Firestone Steeltex Safety-Defect Investigation, According to Lisoni & Lisoni

    WASHINGTON--May 9, 2003--Continuing their effort to re-open the National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety-defect investigation of the Firestone Steeltex tire series, the Lisoni & Lisoni law firm (based in Pasadena, Calif.) met with high ranking NHTSA officials to answer questions and provide further information on the alleged unsafe and defective Firestone Steeltex tire series.
    In a rare and valuable display of support, Ms. Joan Claybrook, the former Administrator of the NHTSA and current president of Public Citizen (a Washington, D.C.-based national, non-profit, public safety organization founded by Ralph Nader), appeared at the meeting with the Lisoni law firm urging the NHTSA to re-open the Firestone Steeltex safety-defect investigation. Equally significant was the appearance of Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director of Center for Auto Safety. To further document the national public concern with the safety of the Firestone Steeltex tire series, both Public Citizen and Center for Auto Safety indicated they would submit formal letters recommending that NHTSA re-open the Firestone Steeltex safety-defect investigation. In addition, Safetyforum.com has joined Lisoni & Lisoni in criticizing the safety of the Firestone Steeltex tire series and called on NHTSA to re-open their defect investigation.
    Joseph Lisoni stated that tire-safety expert Mr. William Orr, who previously worked for Firestone for nearly twenty-five years evaluating defective tires, "blew the whistle" at the meeting to NHTSA officials, stating that due to a cost-cutting program where inferior quality materials and practices were used, the Firestone Steeltex tire series "suffered from self-inflicted cancer" and posed an undue safety risk to the American motoring public. Mr. Orr used an actual defective Steeltex tire to illustrate that the tire had been "de-engineered" and that critical safety components were allegedly lacking, among numerous other alleged defects described.
    Since the Lisoni law firm filed a petition on November 15, 2002, seeking the re-opening of the safety-defect investigation, the firm has provided the NHTSA with sixteen deaths caused by allegedly defective Firestone Steeltex tires, in addition to 5,000 claims of failed Steeltex tread separations causing numerous bodily injuries and extensive property damage. In addition to the petition to the NHTSA, the Lisoni law firm has a national class action against Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. seeking the recall of approximately thirty million Steeltex tires. The firm is frequently contacted by website at www.firestonesteeltexclassaction.com.