Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

As an experienced personal injury and product liability lawyer specializing in rollover accidents, I was astounded to read a piece on the web at about.com referencing ATVs and off-roading whereupon lawyers were accused of cashing in on the irresponsibility of operators and passengers of the Rhino.

Just the other day I received a phone call from an experienced and avid ATV operator who suffered a catastrophic and permanent injury and is unable to work due to the fact that the Yamaha Rhino rolled over on him, crushing him and resulting in the permanent loss of bodily function. I have been an avid motorcycle rider since age 13 and have also operated ATVs and frankly have learned to recognize that these machines can be inherently dangerous and should not be operated by children or others who have not had proper instruction, supervision or who are not truly aware of the inherent design defects and dangers. Many ATV accidents are wholly unexpected. Even Yamaha test drivers have tipped these vehicles over while going downhill. In March, Yamaha, under pressure from the CPSC as well as pending product liability lawyers, offered a “free repair program” for the Rhino.

I have seen many cases where Rhinos and other ATVs rolled over at slow speeds and people have either been catastrophically injured or killed. In a recent CBS news story, Yamaha stated that the Rhino is a “safe, reliable and versatile vehicle” and pointed to operator error rather than the vehicle’s high center of gravity for resulting injuries and deaths. Yamaha has recalled many of these vehicles and The Consumer Product Safety Commission has indicated that they should address upgrades with regard to vehicle safety prevention methods.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Yamaha Rhino accident and sustained serious catastrophic injuries or wrongful death, please feel free to contact one of the experienced Yamaha Rhino rollover lawyers at Reiff & Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.