ATV Injury Attorney
Defective All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
With their smaller size and alleged ease of operation, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have become hugely popular among children, teenagers and young adults across the U.S. These motorized vehicles are perfect for navigating rough land and are widely used for farm and ranch work as well as for recreational purposes. The number of injuries linked to these vehicles, however, is extraordinary. In 2002 alone, 44 children were killed in ATV accidents. These children were all below the age of 14. Children between the ages of 10 and 14 form the majority of ATV accident victims. In the same year, more than 30,000 people were rushed to emergency rooms around the country for treatment of ATV accident related injuries.
Have you or someone you know been injured in an ATV accident? If the ATV was defective or poorly designed for occupant safety, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable for medical expenses, lost earnings, future medical care and the various other expenses or losses you have experienced.
It is important to contact a product liability lawyer who can assess the situation and provide legal representation. At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we offer a free consultation to discuss your case, our services and how we can help. With our experience in handling defective product claims and our considerable resources, we can provide the level of counsel you need. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients and may be able to seek a significant settlement for you.
Types of ATV Accidents
Most ATV accidents involve the rolling over of the vehicle. When an ATV with a high center of gravity turns at even moderate speeds, the vehicle could topple over. Most riders faced with the potential rollover of an ATV, instinctively stick a leg out to brace themselves and prevent the vehicle from toppling over. This is a futile action and one that can cause serious injuries to the rider; the weight of the vehicle will cause it to topple over regardless, possibly trapping the rider's leg and body beneath its crushing force. Other accidents are caused by collision, as well as riders losing balance and falling off the vehicle.
Types of ATV Injuries
Because an ATV packs so much force into its small frame, most of the injuries resulting from an ATV accident involve crushing of body parts, head injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, lacerations and facial injuries. Amputation is frequently needed to prevent the risk of a crushed limb becoming gangrenous, and paralysis can occur when there is injury to the spine. Most injuries are restricted to the head and neck region; these are the injuries that often have the most severe long term consequences.
Research suggests that current ATV safety standards are simply not enough to prevent rollovers and crashes. ATV manufacturers have, for many years now, gotten away with ignoring regulations for age appropriate use of a vehicle. The only changes that have been made to the design of these vehicles are warning labels that come in the form of easy-to-miss fine print advertisements, hard-to-read warning stickers, and user's manual warnings. Needless to say, this has done little to lower the rate of ATV accidents.
Product Liability Lawyers for ATV Accidents
Involving a lawyer is essential if you are interested in holding a negligent ATV manufacturer accountable for the injuries you or a loved one has sustained. Because we offer a free consultation, you can find out more about your options at no cost to you. We also work on a contingent fee basis, meaning we only recover our legal fees if we negotiate a settlement or win a jury award on your behalf.
Contact a product liability attorney at our law office and receive friendly, knowledgeable help.