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All-terrain vehicles (also known as ATVs) include 4-wheelers, quad bikes, and quads. These types of vehicles are extremely popular in Arizona to explore and visit the beautiful terrain, but they can also be operated in negligent and dangerous ways that lead to injuries, accidents, and even death. If you have been involved in an accident involving an ATV, contact an ATV accident lawyer in Yuma, AZ, at Zanes Law at (833)-629-7684 or online today.
Types of Personal Injuries Due To ATV Accidents
ATVs are typically used to handle rough terrain. Due to the fact that this terrain is inherently rocky, ATV riders can be thrown out of the vehicle in a violent manner. ATVs do not truly provide a great deal of protection for their riders from external forces. ATVs are heavy vehicles as well, and when they flip over they can cause serious injuries or death. Some of the most common injuries suffered in ATV accidents include:
- Brain injuries. Oftentimes these are known as traumatic brain injuries (or TBIs) and are very common with ATV accidents. Helmets are not required, and some riders make the poor choice to ride an ATV without them. Without this protection, the risk of head and brain injuries increases significantly. Debris, trees, rocks, the ground, and the ATV vehicle itself can cause head and brain injuries that are not only catastrophic but could cause permanent and life-long damage.
- Spinal Cord Injuries. Being thrown from an ATV vehicle at a high rate of speed is a common occurrence, as there are not the same securities and protections offered as typical cars would have for their riders. When an individual is thrown from an ATV, they can easily suffer severe or permanent spinal cord injuries. Even a slight injury to the spinal cord could cause permanent disabilities.
- Bone Breaks and Fractures. Being thrown or flipped in an ATV vehicle can easily cause bone breaks or fractures. Some of these breaks and fractures can be so severe that they send an individual into a state of shock and can also cause permanent damage.
Other types of injuries from ATV accidents can include burns, bruising, abrasions, dislocations, lacerations, whiplash, among others. No matter the injury suffered, if the other ATV driver or rider was behaving recklessly or negligently, they should compensate you for your injuries.
Proving Negligence in an ATV Accident
If you were injured in an ATV accident, your ATV accident lawyer in Yuma, AZ, will need to be able to prove that the other driver was negligent in your case in order to obtain compensation for your personal injuries under the definitions laid out in Arizona law (12-505). There are four elements that we must prove in order to have a court determine that the other party was negligent, careless, and/or reckless in your ATV accident.
- The other driver had a duty to exercise reasonable care while driving their ATV vehicle.
- Breach of Duty. The other driver breached that duty of care by acting negligently, carelessly, or recklessly while driving their ATV vehicle.
- The reckless or negligent behavior of the other driver of the ATV vehicle directly caused the accident.
- You suffered actual physical, emotional, or property damages that were related to the ATV accident.
ATV drivers and riders should have experience and training in the skills necessary to operate these ATVs in a safe and appropriate manner. If a rider or driver of an ATV was acting negligently, and directly caused an accident that resulted in injuries, they should be held responsible.
Proving negligence can be a challenging legal exercise. We will help you investigate the case, interview witnesses, visit with experts, and build your claim that the other party was negligent in their actions and caused the ATV accident and your injuries.
Manufacturing Defects
There have been several instances where manufacturing defects of parts or components of ATV vehicles from Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki have either cause ATV accidents or made accidents more catastrophic. Some of the parts and components have been found to have serious design issues and safety defects that make these ATV vehicles more susceptible to rollovers, which can cause injury not only to the passenger but also to other vehicles. Some of the manufacturing issues found included:
- Stability and suspension issues
- Problems with turning
- Defective steering parts and mechanism components
- Inadequate or insufficient structural protection, leading to an increase in a rider’s risk of additional injury or death when a crash occurs
An investigation will need to occur regarding your ATV accident, and we will help you with a determination if a manufacturing defect caused an accident or made it more severe. Contact our legal team to connect with an ATV accident lawyer in Yuma, AZ, at Zanes Law at (833)-629-7684 or online today.
Contact an ATV Accident Lawyer in Yuma, AZ
Arizona’s statute of limitations (12-542) generally gives you only two years from the date of the ATV accident to file a lawsuit to attempt to receive compensation for your injuries. Act now to ensure that your time to file does not run out.
If you were involved in an ATV accident in the state of Arizona and suffered any personal injuries due to a manufacturing defect, or the negligence of another ATV driver, you may have the right to receive compensation for your injuries. Contact an ATV accident lawyer in Yuma, AZ, at Zanes Law at (833)-629-7684 or online today to learn your options, and how we will help you with your case.