The most expensive mistake is letting the insurer frame this as "just a bad-weather crash" and pay only the bare PIP/no-fault benefits while the defective part issue dies.

A realistic example: someone driving on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway during a sudden Kona-side rain squall hydroplanes after a recalled tire fails. The crash looks routine at first. Because Hawaii is a no-fault state, their own auto policy starts with PIP medical coverage, so the carrier treats it like an ordinary wreck. But their old back condition goes from manageable to disabling, they miss work, and the tire recall notice turns out to predate the crash. That can change the value of the case a lot, because the claim may not be only against a driver. It may also involve the manufacturer, the seller, or the installer if the wrong tire was mounted, an old recalled tire was sold, or the shop ignored recall information.

Here are the rules that matter in Hawaii:

• You generally have 2 years from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit.
• A recalled or defective product claim can be based on strict liability, meaning you may not need to prove the company was careless in the usual sense.
• The manufacturer is the main target, but a retailer or installer can also matter if they sold, mounted, or serviced the part improperly.
• Your preexisting back problem does not wipe out the claim. Hawaii law allows recovery when a crash or defective product aggravates an existing condition.
• Save the tire, wheel, repair invoices, recall letters, photos, and the vehicle. If the part gets discarded, a big piece of the case can disappear.

Worth it? Usually yes if the injury became serious, treatment is ongoing, or the recall existed before the crash. A defective-part case is often worth more than a standard claim limited by Hawaii's low 20/40/10 minimum liability coverage.