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Safetyforum.com: Lawsuits Include 'Alarming Number' Of Non-Recalled Firestone Tires

5 September 2000

Safetyforum.com: Lawsuits Include 'Alarming Number' Of Non-Recalled Firestone Tires

    ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 5 An "alarming number" of lawsuits
for injuries and deaths involving Firestone tire failures involve non-recalled
tires.  "Based on our analysis of lawsuits, these tires  have a well-
established history of failures, deaths and injuries and should be recalled,"
said Little Rock, Arkansas safety attorney Tab Turner, Safetyforum.com's
"Attorney of Record" for tires.  Safetyforum.com is an internet website
dedicated to the exchange of information about hazardous and defective
products.
    "Our analysis of nearly 100 lawsuits and pending claims  reveals an
alarming number of failures, injuries and deaths attributable to failures of
non-recalled tires" Turner said.  "Of 93 lawsuits and claims reviewed, 34 (37
percent) were non-recalled 16" tires or 15" tires that were not made in
Decatur," Turner said.
    Turner pointed out that these same tires are being used by Ford and
Firestone to replace recalled tires.  "Ford and Firestone are playing a shell
game with peoples lives by using these very tires as replacement tires,"
Turner said.
    These numbers prove several things," Turner said,

    *  "The 6.5 million partial recall of these tires must be expanded to
       include all Firestone Wilderness tires regardless of their size or
       where the tires were made.  This is precisely what we have been urging
       from the outset";
    *  "Ford and Firestone keep telling the public that the proposed
       replacement tires are safe and we know for a fact that these tires are
       failing as well";
    *  "This problem is not unique to the Decatur plant and both Ford and
       Firestone are in this up to their chins";

    Last week, Safetyforum.com reported the results of an analysis of 1,453
tire failure reports recently released by NHTSA.  Of the 61 reports that
included the DOT tire code, 17 (28 percent) were 16" tires or non-Decatur
Wilderness tires.
    Of the hundreds of failure and defective tire reports received by
Safetyforum.com, 125 were 16" tires or non-Decatur Wilderness tires.

    For further details go to http://www.safetyforum.com