Cooper Cobra Tire Lawsuit Filed in Fatal Florida Accident
Defective Cooper brand Cobra tires were the cause of a fatal accident that killed four teens and injured four others, according to the lawyer for several of the families. Cooper has recalled defective tires in the past.
The Florida teens were driving in a Ford Explorer on Interstate 295 when the tread on the left rear Cooper Cobra tire separated, causing the vehicle to flip, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of one of the injured teens against Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and three other defendants.
Defective Tire Lawsuit Against Cooper Results in $32 Million Verdict
An Iowa court has found Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. liable for a 2007 defective tire blowout that caused a minivan rollover that killed one and injured others. The jury in the Polk County District Court case decided 7-1 that the malfunctioning tire was flawed from the design and manufacturing stage, and this caused the tire tread separation, which, in turn caused the accident.
ttorneys for Cooper argued that the tire was simply old and worn, and also that the vehicle’s driver, Alfred Lang, was driving too fast and broke so suddenly in reaction to the tire blowout that it exacerbated the problem. The defense attorneys also highlighted the fact that Lang’s driver’s license was only a year old, arguing that he was simply an inexperienced driver.
Cooper Brand Tire Recall due to Risk of Crash, Car Damage
A Cooper tire recall has been issued due to potential cracking in the tire’s tread shoulder, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced. According to the announcement:
“Tread chunks may separate from the tire casing resulting in body damage to the vehicle or the driver may lose control resulting in a crash.”
