The companies that make and sell the products we buy have a duty to ensure that those products are safe. When the rear tire on their 2007 Harley-Davidson Heritage Soft Tail motorcycle blew out, William Shank and his wife Mary Jane crashed. William died at the scene and his wife passed a little more than a week later. Their son is now suing the maker of the tire, Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America LTD, along with Z&M Cycle Sales for the wrongful death of his parents. The lawsuit alleges that the tire was defective and the fatal motorcycle accident was the result of its failure.
Manufacturers and distributors of goods must be held responsible when their products endanger consumers. Product liability claims force the makers and sellers of goods to consider consumer safety in everything they do. Product liability claims have forced countless companies to make better and safer products, thereby protecting future consumers from injury or death.
The claim in this case specifically alleges that the tube inside the tire was defective. Neither Goodyear Dunlop nor Z&M Cycle Sales commented on the pending lawsuit. If the tube is found to have been defective, then the companies that participated in bringing that client to the consumer played a role in the fatal accident. Only by holding businesses responsible for the harm caused by their products and services can consumers hope to protect themselves and others from dangerous or defective goods.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Tire maker sued in fatal cycle crash,” 5 March 2013
