The costliest mistake is waiting for the recall notice, insurance claim, or dealership to "make it right" and assuming the legal clock is paused. It usually is not.

In New Hampshire, the general deadline for an injury lawsuit is 3 years under RSA 508:4. For a tire blowout crash, that usually means 3 years from the crash date - not from the day you learned about the recall.

That bad advice about "the recall resets everything" is wrong. A recall can help prove the product was defective, but it does not automatically extend your time to sue.

The correct approach is to treat this like two separate tracks: your recall claim and your injury claim.

If a defective tire caused or worsened the crash, the possible targets are not limited to the tire maker. In New Hampshire, a claim may involve:

• the manufacturer
• the seller or distributor
• the installer or shop, if bad mounting, wrong sizing, or improper service contributed

A recalled part does not mean only the manufacturer is on the hook. And if the installer in Nashua put on the wrong tire or ignored visible damage, that can matter just as much as the defect itself.

Do not let the evidence disappear. Keep the tire, wheel, vehicle, repair invoices, tow records, photos, and recall paperwork. Do not let a yard, insurer, or shop discard the blown tire. That physical evidence is often the whole case.

If the crash happened during heavy rain, flood conditions, or hydroplaning weather on routes like Everett Turnpike or I-93, expect the other side to blame the storm, not the tire. That is exactly why preserving the failed part matters.

If you are getting close to 3 years, assume you are running out of time now.