Location: Charlottesville Circuit Court
Verdict: $1,000,000
After getting his truck serviced by the defendant’s tire service station, the plaintiff suffered severe injuries when the defective truck wheel exploded. The plaintiff had removed the wheels from his 1964 Ford 650 dump truck to repair a leaking axle seal. Later when he went to clean a removed wheel, the two-piece rim separated and caused a forceful explosion. The exploding wheel was the result of the defendant installing both the incorrect size and the incorrect type of tire for plaintiff’s truck, as well as inflating the tires beyond the recommended capacity for the rims installed. These actions by the defendant disregarded both OSHA and industry standards.
The tire explosion caused the plaintiff to suffer multiple fractures and lacerations to both hands that required surgery and months of physical therapy. He was still diagnosed with 36 percent whole person impairment after his extensive medical treatment. Additionally the plaintiff will no longer be able to pursue his career in his family’s business due to his injuries.
