Illinois Jury Awards South Carolina Woman $15 Million in Personal Injury Case Involving Motorcycle Tires

Amy Rothschild

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A federal jury in Peoria, Illinois awarded a South Carolina woman $15 million after finding that a tire on the motorcycle she was riding had a defect which resulted in a fall and severe brain damage. The jury deliberated over two days before deciding that defendant Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America Ltd. was liable for the May, 2002, incident on Interstate 55 in Livingston County, Illinois.

In 2002, the plaintiff, Trish McCloud, was riding back to her home in Michigan from a bike rally in St. Louis when the tire deflated. The driver of the motorcycle lost control and crashed. The bike flipped and McCloud struck her head on the pavement. The driver was hurt, but the extent of his injuries was not as severe as McCloud's.

Although Ms. McCloud was wearing a helmet, the impact was so great that it caused severe brain damage, according to court records. She was treated in a hospital for two months, where she was in and out of a coma.
Ms. McCloud ia now paralyzed and requires continuous care.

Her attorneys argued that Goodyear Dunlop made the motorcycle tire with a defect that caused it to fail prematurely. At trial, Goodyear Dunlop claimed the incident was caused by tire underinflation as well as excessive weight on the motorcycle.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.