Defective Tire Lawsuit Results in $32.8M Verdict for Minivan Rollover Accident

A Des Moines, Iowa jury has awarded a collective $32.8 million to a number of people injured or killed in a minvan rollover accident that occurred when a defective Cooper tire blew out in 2007. 

The product liability lawsuit alleged that tire tread separation on a Cooper tire resulted in the driver losing control of a 1997 Chrysler minivan. According to a report by Bloomberg News, the accident resulted in the death of Assata Karla, 28, and injuries that rendered Ivon Toe, 39, a quadriplegic. Four other people in the van were also injured.

The lawsuit accused Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. of liability for the accident, saying that the company did not design the tire with state-of-the-art technology, cutting corners in order to save money. Defense attorneys for the tire company disagreed, saying that the driver, Alfred Lang, was responsible for the crash. The company also said that the tire was old and had been previously damaged.

The Polk County District Court jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $649,000 to the estate of Karla, $420,000 to her husband Gaye Karla, and a total of more than $1 million divided among their five children. In addition, the jury ruled that Toe should be paid $28.4 million for her injuries, and $65,000 should be paid to her two children. Damages to the other four passengers, and $1.5 million in punitive damages brought the total award to $32.8 million.

Cooper Tire officials told Bloomberg News that they plan to appeal the verdict. Cooper is the second-largest tire company in the U.S.

The largest tire maker, Goodyear, currently faces a number of similar tire tread separation lawsuits over problems with their Goodyear Long Range “E’ tires made between 1991 and 2000. According to reports last year, nearly 50 Goodyear tire product liability lawsuits have been filed over the tires, which are used on sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans. Although Goodyear claims that they are “quality tires,” the plaintiffs claim that the tires are defective and have a propensity for tread separation.