Carlisle Tire & Wheel to respond to class action request by Jan. 31

Kalamazoo, Michigan - Carlisle Tire & Wheel Co. has until 31 Jan to respond to the request of two Michigan plaintiffs who seek class-action status in their defective product lawsuit against the Aiken, South Carolina-based tyre maker.

Jeffrey Hunsaker and Dennis Drooger claim they had tread separations on their Carlisle recreational vehicle tyres in separate incidents, and say the tyres were inherently defective. They seek class-action certification in federal district court in Kalamazoo, which would allow them to open the case to Carlisle tyre owners dating back to 1999.

If class action certification is not granted, individual Carlisle tyre owners will be free to pursue separate litigation, said Brian Masternak,of Warner Norcross & Judd attorneys who is acting for Hunsaker and Drooger.

Dan Sharkey, attorney for Carlisle, could not immediately be reached for comment; in a previous statement, however, the company noted that its historical tyre failure rate has been less than 1 percent since its founding in 1917, and that it pays all claims within the warranty period.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)

Website of Warner Norcross & Judd attorneys