1989 Chevrolet Beauville

MY SON AND I WERE RETURNING HOME TO NEW ORLEANS, LA FROM A DOG SHOW IN HOUSTON, TX ON JULY 20, 1998. I HAD SOME MINOR PROBLEMS WITH MY ENGINE AND HAD STOPPED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I LEFT THAT PLACE OF BUSINESS ABOUT 10 AM AND WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 10 FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS WHEN IT FELT LIKE MY VAN HAD BEEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING HORRIBLY AND IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO HOLD THE WHEEL STRAIGHT. I REALIZED THAT ONE OF MY BACK TIRES HAD BLOWN OUT, OR SO I THOUGHT. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER AND EXAMINE MY TIRE, I SAW THAT THE STEEL BELT HAD COME OFF OF THE TIRE AND I STILL HAD PRESSURE IN MY TIRE TUBE. I THEN DROVE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WITH THAT BAD TIRE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE NEXT EXIT. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS A TIRE SERVICE CENTER THERE AND I WAS ABLE TO HAVE MY TIRE CHANGED OUT. I KEPT THE DEFECTIVE TIRE, SINCE I HAD MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR END OF MY VAN. THE BELT HIT THE UNDERSIDE AND REAR PANEL OF MY VAN SO HARD THAT IT BENT IT UNDER ABOUT 8 INCHES. I SENT THE ENTIRE TIRE TO MICHELIN EXPLAINING WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND THEY CLAIMED THAT MY TIRE HAD EVIDENCE OF BEING UNDERINFLATED. WHAT THEY DID NOT BOTHER TO ASK ME, WAS IF I HAD EVER BOTHERED TO CHECK MY AIR PRESSURE OR ROTATE MY TIRES. I HAVE RECORDS FROM MY TIRE CENTER, THAT WILL STATE THAT I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED QUITE FREQUENTLY, AND I KEEP UP WITH ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON MY VAN. I PUT A LOT OF HIGHWAY MILES ON THIS VAN WHEN I TRAVEL TO DOG SHOWS, AND I ALWAYS CHECK MY OIL, WATER, TRANSMISSION & POWER STEERING FLUID, AND MY TIRE PRESSURE BEFORE EVERY TRIP. AND I HAD JUST RECENTLY LEFT A MECHANIC'S SHOP WHERE 3 MECHANICS WOULD HAVE NOTICED IF MY AIR PRESSURE WAS NOTICEABLY LOW. THE AIR TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS ABOUT 98 DEGREES, AND MY VAN WAS LOADED DOWN WITH ABOUT 6 SIBERIAN HUSKIES AND ALL MY EQUIPMENT I TAKE TO THE SHOW. AND THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT KEPT ME FROM ROLLING MY VAN.