
The Hazards of Riding ATVs & UTVs
State and federal laws prohibit people from driving ATVs and UTVs on public roads. However, being able to ride without the threat of larger vehicles doesn’t eliminate the prospect of harm. This is especially true in the Lone Star State, which led the nation in total ATV-related deaths from 1982 to 2013.
Why is this such a problem? The Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research highlighted several risks ATV riders face, including falls, collisions, and rollovers. Although such accidents aren’t always fatal, they can lead to many adverse outcomes. Additionally, like motorcycle accidents, ATV occupants have little protection from other motorists.
Some of these include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Broken necks and other spinal cord injuries
- Knee and leg trauma
- Burns
Analyzing Causes & the Law
Why do UTV and ATV accidents happen? Like other vehicle disasters, these accidents can involve many different factors. It’s important to draw distinctions between different categories of contributing causes.
Imagine that someone riding an ATV did something risky to impress their friends. If they tried to sue the ATV maker for their medical bills afterward, the court might be inclined to decide against them. Contrast that to a case where multiple riders suffer similar injuries or accidents, such as the mid-2010s Polaris Industries’ deaths, fires, and recalls. Courts later allowed multiple class action lawsuits because of how the firm dealt with the fact that its vehicles were defective enough to hurt people.
What Comes Next for Victims?
Do you have to be part of a big lawsuit to get the justice you deserve? No. Victims can successfully seek compensation if they have evidence to back their claims.
Being injured or left dumbfounded after a loved one’s death can make life difficult. Simple things become major chores, and in the struggle to adjust, it’s not easy to manage a lawsuit. A good attorney can help you manage by laying the groundwork for a case—doing the research, setting the schedule, collecting evidence, and filing the paperwork. By keeping things organized as you move forward, your lawyer will empower you to get through the court as painlessly as possible.
It pays to have an experienced legal team. Your Houston UTV & ATV accident attorney should understand everything about these types of accidents and this area of law, from how occupant protection failures happen to what kind of medical documentation you need to prove that someone sustained a brain injury.
At The Ammons Law Firm, we’re proud to have spent decades representing ATV and UTV accident and defective product victims. We’re passionate about our firm’s ability to hold the liable parties accountable. Learn where your future is headed by telling us about your accident today.
Contact us at (281) 801-5617 at your earliest convenience. Se habla español.