Pittsburgh Jury Returns $3.08 Million Tire Tread Defect Verdict Against Kumho Tire USA

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 29, 2021 -- An Allegheny County jury has returned a $3.08 million unanimous jury verdict for a truck driver who suffered severe injuries when a defective truck tire manufactured in Korea by Kumho Tire experienced a sudden tread failure causing his fully loaded dump truck to crash and roll over.

Plaintiff Milford Stevens was carrying more than 72,000 pounds of sand when the tread separated on the left front Kumho Powerfleet 983 tire of the dump truck he was driving in September 2014. Mr. Stevens was traveling at highway speed when the 2007 Mack tri-axle dump truck owned by Thomas Construction flipped over on U.S. 422 near Muddy Creek Township. Mr. Stevens suffered serious neurological and physical injuries, including fractures to his vertebrae, head and face.

During two weeks of trial testimony, trial lawyers Wes Ball and Skip Lynch of Kaster, Lynch, Farrar & Ball presented evidence showing that the tire was defective in design and should not have been placed on the market. Among other things, evidence showed that the tire's belts did not include an adequate AO package thereby preventing the tire from premature failure due to oxidation issues.

"This truck was a ticking time bomb because manufacturers like Kumho Tire USA are driven by profit rather than safety," said Mr. Ball. "Bad designs cause bad problems. Companies like this shouldn't be allowed to benefit from our system of trade while disregarding the safety of our citizens."

In addition to lawyers from Kaster, Lynch, Farrar & Ball, Mr. Stevens was represented by Dan Sherry Jr. of Philadelphia-based Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck.

The case is Milford E. Stevens v. Good Tire Service Inc. et al., No. GD 15 13492, in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Based in Ocala, Florida, and Houston, the trial lawyers at Kaster Lynch Farrar & Ball LLP have hard-earned expertise in cases against global vehicle and tire manufacturers over defects that can cause significant injury or death. The firm is a nationwide leader in securing verdicts and settlements against the world's largest tire and vehicle manufacturers. For more information, visit TheTireLawyers.com.    

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SOURCE Kaster Lynch Farrar & Ball, LLP

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