The U.S. Department of Transportation has opened an investigation into faulty replacement tire valves made in China that are now the focus of a nationwide recall. The

trouble could just be beginning, warns Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death attorney Steve Laird of Laird & Cummings. More than 30 million tire valves could be affected and at risk of cracking prematurely, causing tires to lose air quickly and leading to tire failure, according to Consumer Reports. "Most drivers will have a hard time figuring out if they have a defective valve on their tires," says Laird. "That's because once the valve stem is installed, the only way to check is to take the tire off and inspect it from the inside."

According to Consumer Reports, Robert Monk of Orlando, Fla. died when the right rear tire of his 1998 Ford Explorer failed, triggering a rollover crash. The failure of the tire, which was installed in the fall of 2006, has been linked to a cracked Dill TR-413 valve stem manufactured by a subsidiary of Shanghai Baolong Industries for Dill Air Control Products. In March, the Monk family filed suit against Dill Air Control Products, alleging that the defective tire valve stem caused the crash.

To interview Mr. Laird about tire safety issues, contact Bruce Vincent at 800-559-4534 or bruce@androvett.com.