ATV Accidents

All Terrain Vehicles (ATV's) are 3 or 4 wheeled motorized vehicles used for off-road riding.  ATV's are equipped with gasoline powered engines and are designed for one driver only.  ATV's were designed in the late 1960's and first sold in the United States in the early 1970's.  This type of vehicle is very popular and is commonly used for recreation, rescue efforts in emergency situations, and agricultural maintenance.  Every year, many people, including children, are severly injured due to ATV accidents.  Serious physical injury, property damage, brain damage, paralysis, and death may result from an ATV accident.  If you have been in an ATV-related accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, wage loss, pain and suffering, and more.  

  • The statistics concerning ATV's in the United States show that:
  • In 1998, there were over 60,000 reported ATV-related accidents.
  • In 1997, over 30,000 children under the age of 16 were injured in ATV-related accidents.
  • It has been estimated that ATV-related injuries have doubled in the past 5 years in the United States.
  • In a recent 5 year periord, ATV-related injuries requiring emergency room assistance increased over 100 percent.

There are many different factors that may cause accidents while operating an ATV.   Some causes of accidents are related to the production or manufacturing of the vehicle.  Manufacturing defects are flaws in the manufacturing process that may result in injuries.  Other times, accidents are caused because there was a failure to properly instruct regarding the safe use and operation of the vehicle, or there was a failure to warn regarding a vehicle's dangers.  Failure to warn is when a manufacturer knows of a hazard regarding the product and does not adequately warn consumers of it.  Still other accidents are caused because of design defects in the ATV.  Design defects are errors in the design of the product that make the vehicle dangerous.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an ATV accident, please contact one of the experienced ATV attorneys at Cline Farrell Christie Lee & Caress today for a free consultation.  We welcome the opportunity to serve and assist you and look forward to hearing from you.