A federal jury in Virginia has ordered Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. to pay more than $37 million in a verdict related to a 2014 accident, Law360 has reported.
The jury found in favor of plaintiff Robert Benedict, who was paralyzed in an accident that occurred when the right front tire of his cement truck became separated. The jury found that the accident was the result of defects in the tire’s manufacture.
Law360 cites reports that the tire’s integrity was “compromised integrity by virtue of inadequate bonding and adhesion predisposed the tire to failure by way of tread/belt separation during the service life of the tire.”
The suit further alleged that the inner liner of the tire, a Hankook Aurora TH08, allowed oxygen to permeate the tire, which caused damage to various internal components that led to the tire to fail.
