In addition, more than 100 suits have been filed in state and federal court on behalf of individuals who have been injured or whose family members have been killed in accidents involving the tires. Many of those were filed before the recall, dating back more than a decade, but there has been a steady stream since then, as well. In terms of sheer numbers, this is above and beyond any tire-related problem we've ever seen. Lawyers say most suits represent legitimate claims by those who suffered. But others may just be a way to try to benefit from the scare, they say.
More lawsuits are sure to be on the way.
Lawyers throughout Florida handling tire cases report receiving dozens of calls from Firestone customers inquiring about their options. Federal investigators have warned that another 1.4-million Firestone tires that the company refused to recall are dangerous and should be replaced. They did not return phone calls last week to comment about the lawsuits. Since the recall, the most frequently filed claims are class-action suits, which are asking for a number of remedies including an expanded recall, reimbursement for defective tires not included in the recall or damages for those who drove a vehicle equipped with tires that they worried might cause accidents. None has been certified a class-action suit by a judge yet, said Mike Peacock, a Tampa lawyer who filed the one in Pinellas last week.