I had purchased four new tires from the above mentioned wal-mart. The tech mounted & balanced also installed the newly purchased tires on my truck. I left the store and entered the highway, after driving the truck made a new noise that i had never heard before, I had parked the truck looked at the tires and every thing appeared fine.
The following night I had left to go about 2-1/2 maybe three miles to the local store, after making my purchase I returned to my truck and left the store parking lot, I drove no more than about 1/4 of mile and the left wheel came off and crashed thur a front windsheild of a on coming car than bounced of the car roof hit a roadway sign knocked it down rolled to a stop.
I pulled off the roadway in a shower of sparks got out of the truck looked to see my wheel was missing and than to my suprise found out what also occured i was in total shock and come to find out that my long life friends wife had been hit by my wheel, I then walked around my truck to find that all the wheels were loose and lug nuts ready to fall off. After the police had viewed the scene they wrote in their report that the incident was due to mechical and not due to operator error. The truck was then towwed away to the township contract tow yard.
The following morning I went to the store were I purchased the tire spoke to the tire & lube express manager and explained what had taken place, his answer was this could not happen becaue they torque the lug nuts after their installation. He then told me that I was to blame because I should have checked the lug nuts to see if they were tight. I showed him a copy of the police report and he replied that I was not at fault so let my insurance determine who was at fault.
After I had told them that I felt that they made a poor Installation he ask if I was a auto teck and I said that I had only a little knowledge but knew how to change a tire. He then said that further proves that I was to blame because I failed to check the lug nuts.
I had then contacted the main store manager and he felt that maybe I had jumped to conclusion that the lug nuts were not tighted and that since I had limited experince the my insurance company would have to deal with it. My insurance company did resolve this matter with my long time friend, but I wonder how many other times this has occured. Thank you
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