When a claim representative suspects tire failure as a factor in an automobile accident, he may call on an automotive expert to eyeball torn treads and probe gashes to uncover the story of how a tire's deterioration could contribute to an accident.

Many times, the answer can be as direct as a failure caused by under inflation, but it sometimes takes a tire specialist to verify the cause because details that distinguish one tire failure from another can be subtle and difficult to discern to the untrained eye. Although automotive engineers with multi-disciplinary expertise can provide competent preliminary tire analysis, suspected tire-failure files typically require experts with more extensive tire knowledge and experience. Consulting automotive engineering firms will have ready access to these specialists.

At least initially, a tire investigation resembles a standard accident investigation. The claim representative will contact an automotive engineer and, based on the evidence, pose a theory of the accident's cause. They will discuss its pros and cons, and then the engineer will begin an examination culminating in an analysis of the accident. A tire expert may step in immediately in cases of suspected tire failure, or he can wait until after the engineer examines the accident scene and the affected vehicles.