Discussing ATV, ORV, UTV, & Other 4-Wheeler Accidents Involving Injury or Death

Anton Nickloi    Truck Accident    

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) pose certain risks that are unique to their particular design. Some models can even attain the same speeds as a full-sized car, yet ATVs offer very little protection for their drivers or passengers. Furthermore, there are some ATVs in the marketplace that have certain features that often make them even more dangerous to properly operate. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, an average of 700 deaths and 135,000 accidents occur every year to the passengers and drivers of all-terrain vehicles. As such, Corpus Christi wrongful death lawyer Michael Grossman offers the following information regarding the dangers of all-terrain vehicles, and what can be done if you’ve been injured while riding one, or may have even lost a loved one due to an ATV accident.

All-terrain vehicles can cause immense amounts of damage because they often lack necessary safety equipment. For instance, some ATVs lack a seat belt, which can result in a driver or passenger being ejected from the all-terrain vehicle when an accident happens. Furthermore, the design of the ATV can lead to rollover accidents, and, if a driver or passenger has been ejected, the ATV can rollover on top of a person, causing serious injury or death.

As an example of a particularly dangerous all-terrain vehicle, the Yamaha Rhino has a narrow track and a short wheelbase, which owners likely appreciate since, for those reasons, it can easily be loaded into a truck bed. However, the purposeful design also means that that ATV does not have a wide enough base to compensate for the ATV’s relatively high center of gravity, meaning that rollover accidents are likely to occur when riding this particular ATV.

Furthermore, the ATV is marketed to be able to traverse uneven terrain, slopes, gradients, and in different weather conditions that could cause less traction. If an ATV driver believes this to be the case and then suffers a rollover accident because of the ATV’s design, who’s to blame for the accident?

While the specifics of any accident causing injury or death must be thoroughly investigated before liability can be truthfully assessed, a manufacturer of a dangerous ATV can be held liable for an accident causing injury or death if it can be proven that the manufacturer was somehow negligent in their duties to provide for their users’ safety. In accidents involving Yamaha Rhinos, a case could be made that the design is faulty, resulting in an increased likelihood of a rollover accident. However, without the help of an experienced ATV accident attorney, an injured victim or a bereaved family will likely not know how to properly proceed in this legal matter in order to stand to receive compensation for their pain or loss.

Furthermore, it’s important to contact an attorney quickly in the aftermath of an ATV accident so that witnesses can be tracked down and relevant evidence can be gathered. In many cases, waiting too long to take legal action against a negligent party or parties can result in evidence going missing, or witnesses forgetting a vital detail of the accident. Additionally, the compensation sought for any incurred injuries is likely necessary in a short amount of time after the accident since the compensation is for such things as medical expenses.

If you’ve been hurt in, or have lost a loved one to, an ATV-related accident, contacting an experienced Tyler Texas injury attorney is often your best first step. You will likely stand to receive compensation for your injury or loss, but you will also be working to ensure that ATV manufacturers are held responsible for their negligence so that future injurious or tragic ATV accidents don’t have to befall another person or family.

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