Practitioners should tread carefully around product liability claims, says Karen O’Sullivan
Vehicle tyres are something that we tend, but ought not, to take for granted. The effect of them going wrong can be tragic. This basic fact seems to have had something of an impact on the decision of MacKay J in Divya v. Toyo Tire and Rubber Co Ltd [2011] EWHC 1993 (QB), [2011] All ER (D) 264 (Jul). There was nothing particularly odd about most of the facts. The vehicle in which the allegedly defective tyre was fitted was travelling along the outside lane of the M4, slightly exceeding the speed limit, when according to independent witness evidence, there was a sudden loss of control by the driver caused by the failure of one of vehicle’s tyres. There were no other vehicles involved but the six occupants all sustained serious injuries and one died. The survivors sued the tyre manufacturer.
Legal & factual oddities
There was at least one factual oddity: the tyre was some nine years old yet its tread was only half worn. There was also a legal oddity.
