In a unanimous verdict handed down on November 19, a jury in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, found in favor of Michelin North America, Inc., on all claims relating to a product liability lawsuit filed by the plaintiff, Kimberly Allen.
The three-week trial was heard in Arizona State Court.
In the lawsuit against Michelin, Allen and her attorneys alleged that a defective Uniroyal tyre — manufactured by Michelin at its plant in Ardmore, Oklahoma — was the reason for a single-vehicle rollover accident on October 8, 2011, in Arizona. The plaintiff demanded US$20 million in compensatory and punitive damages, claiming a faulty tyre separated, caused the accident and resulted in severe injuries.
Michelin showed that the tread separation on the Uniroyal Tiger Paw AWP preceded the accident and was caused by a number of factors, including an improperly repaired puncture days before the accident as well as chronic under inflation of the tyre. The jury determined there was no proof of product liability, and Michelin was found faultless on all claims.