ATVs, or all-terrain vehicles, are four-wheeled vehicles that have gained popularity in recent years due to their ability to take on rough terrain. They are popular recreational vehicles but are also used by farmhands to assist with farm work. While they may not appear dangerous, ATVs are prone to rollovers and other accidents when drivers are negligent or lack training.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is one of the organizations that gathers statistics on ATV-related injuries in the United States. According to their 2016 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries, 14,653 ATV-related fatalities were recorded between 1982 and 2016. More than 3,000 of those fatalities were children younger than 16 years of age.
For non-fatal accidents and injuries, the CPSC report estimated that 101,200 emergency department-treated injuries occurred in 2016. An estimated 26% of these involved children younger than 16 years of age.
The most common non-fatal ATV-related injuries are:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Damage to internal organs
A lot of ATV accidents happen because of the vehicle rolling or flipping over. ATV drivers are usually either crushed by or tossed out of the vehicle. It’s important to note that most ATVs are designed to accommodate only one rider. Having two riders increases the likelihood of meeting an accident since ATVs aren’t made to accommodate passengers.
Establishing Fault After an ATV Accident
ATV-related accidents are usually the result of the negligence and/or recklessness of the culpable party. These include driving recklessly at high speeds, driving under the influence, and driving uphill.
There are four general categories of parties at fault for ATV accidents:
- The ATV driver – This person can be held liable if he lacked proper training or sufficient practice.
- The other party – Other motorists on the road who behaved negligently while operating their
vehicles could be held liable.
- Owners of ATVs – Persons or entities who rent out ATVs can be at fault for failure to
provide timely upkeep or maintenance of their ATVs, resulting in accidents.
- Designers or manufacturers of ATVs – If the ATV is patently defective, then you
have a claim for product liability against the ATV manufacturer, designer, or distributor
depending on where the defect originated.
If you’re injured in an ATV accident, you can claim damages against the party at fault and file a lawsuit by demonstrating the following:
- The other party had a duty of care.
- The other party breached the duty of care required under the circumstances.
- The breach of duty caused the accident.
- You sustained damages and losses as a result.
Value of Your Claim
The value of your claim depends on a lot of factors and may include the following:
- Whether you were comparatively negligent in the accident.
- The types of damages you are claiming.
- The amount of damages you are alleging.
- The proof or evidence you have to support your claims.
Never Admit to or Sign Anything
Following an ATV accident, never admit to anything even if you feel that you were partly at fault. Anything you say may be used against you later when you are negotiating your claims against the party at fault.
Understand as well that insurance companies and their claims adjusters are trained at picking the holes in your story. In some instances, victims readily talk to the insurance adjusters of the other party in hopes of getting a quick settlement. However, they find out later on that dealing with the insurance adjuster directly had compromised their claims. Aside from not talking to insurance adjusters, you should also never sign anything that the insurance adjuster wants you to sign. You might be waiving your rights to seek damages against the party at fault.
Seek Legal Help From an Expert Atv Accident Lawyer
The best thing to do is to call an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately after the accident. Mesriani Law Group’s solid team of Los Angeles-based personal injury attorneys will show you how to obtain and preserve evidence at the time of the accident.
They’ll also advise you on what not to do if the other party or their claims adjuster contacts you. Leave the negotiations to the experts to bolster your claim against the party at fault. A reputable ATV accident attorney will help you obtain all the damages you deserve for your suffering and losses.
ATVs au magari ya kila aina ni magari yenye magurudumu manne ambayo yamepata umaarufu katika miaka ya hivi karibuni kwa sababu ya uwezo wao wa kuchukua ardhi ngumu. Ni magari maarufu ya burudani lakini pia hutumiwa na wafanyakazi wa shambani kusaidia katika kazi za shambani. Ingawa huenda zisiwe hatari, magari ya ATV yanaweza kuanguka na kusababisha aksidenti nyingine madereva wanapokosa uangalifu au hawazoezi. Tume ya Usalama wa Bidhaa ya Watumiaji (CPSC) ni shirika la Marekani linalohusisha watu wengi na kuandaa takwimu za ajali za magari ya ATV. Kulingana na ripoti ya kila mwaka ya 2016 ya vifo na majeraha yanayohusiana na ATV, 14,653 vifo vinavyohusiana na ATV viliandikwa kati ya 1982 na 2016. Zaidi ya watu 3,000 kati ya wale waliokufa walikuwa watoto wenye umri wa chini ya miaka 16. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti ya CPSC, ajali zisizo na kifo na majeraha ya watu waliohusika katika ajali hiyo ni 101,200, na majeruhi waliotibiwa katika idara ya dharura ni 101,200. Inakadiriwa kuwa asilimia 26 ya mauaji hayo yaliwahusisha watoto wenye umri wa chini ya miaka 16. ATVs ni hatari kwa ajili ya majeraha ya ubongo, misuli, na misuli ya mgongo, na kwa ajili ya majeraha ya mwili, misuli na misuli ya ndani. Kwa kawaida madereva wa ATV hukandamizwa au kutupwa nje ya gari. Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba ATVs wengi ni iliyoundwa ili kukaribisha mpanda farasi mmoja tu. Kuwa na wapanda farasi wawili huongeza uwezekano wa kukutana na ajali tangu ATVs hazitengenezwa ili kukaribisha abiria. A. Madhara ya ATV ni kawaida matokeo ya uzembe na au ukosefu wa uangalifu wa chama cha hatia. Hizi zinatia ndani kuendesha gari kwa haraka, kuendesha gari ukiwa umelewa, na kuendesha gari kwenye mwinuko. Kuna makundi manne ya jumla ya vyama katika kosa kwa ajali ATV: - dereva ATV <unk> Mtu huyu inaweza kuwa na wajibu kama hakuwa na mafunzo sahihi au mazoezi ya kutosha. - chama kingine <unk> madereva wengine barabarani ambao walitenda kwa uzembe wakati wa kuendesha magari yao inaweza kuwajibika. - Wamiliki wa ATVs <unk> Watu au mashirika ambayo kukodisha ATVs inaweza kuwa na makosa kwa kushindwa kutoa matengenezo ya wakati au matengenezo ya ATVs yao, na kusababisha ajali. - Watengenezaji au watengenezaji wa ATVs <unk> Kama ATV ni wazi kasoro, basi una madai ya dhima ya bidhaa dhidi ya mtengenezaji ATV, mbuni, au msambazaji kulingana na ambapo kasoro ilitokana. Kama wewe ni kujeruhiwa katika ajali ATV, unaweza kudai uharibifu dhidi ya chama katika kosa na faili kesi kwa kuonyesha yafuatayo: - chama kingine alikuwa na wajibu wa huduma. - Chama kingine kilivunja wajibu wa uangalifu unaohitajika chini ya hali hizo. - Uvunjaji wa wajibu ulisababisha aksidenti. - Ulipata uharibifu na hasara kwa sababu hiyo. Thamani ya madai yako inategemea mambo mengi na inaweza kujumuisha yafuatayo: - Je, wewe ulikuwa na udanganyifu katika ajali. - Aina ya uharibifu unaodai. - Kiasi cha uharibifu unaodai. - Uthibitisho au ushahidi unao kuunga mkono madai yako. Usikubali au kusaini chochote baada ya ajali ya ATV, kamwe usikiri chochote hata kama unahisi kuwa ulikuwa na kosa. Yote unayosema yanaweza kutumiwa dhidi yako baadaye wakati unapojadili madai yako dhidi ya chama kilicho na kosa. Pia fahamu kwamba makampuni ya bima na wasimamizi wao wa madai wamefundishwa kutambua mapengo katika hadithi yako. Katika visa fulani, wahasiriwa huzungumza kwa utayari na wasimamizi wa bima wa upande mwingine kwa matumaini ya kupata suluhisho la haraka. Hata hivyo, baadaye wanatambua kwamba kushughulika moja kwa moja na mhasibu wa bima kulikuwa kumeharibu madai yao. Mbali na kutozungumza na wasimamizi wa bima, haupaswi pia kusaini chochote ambacho msimamizi wa bima anataka ushuhude. Unaweza kuwa unaacha haki zako za kutafuta uharibifu dhidi ya chama kilicho na kosa. Tafuta msaada wa kisheria kutoka kwa mwanasheria wa ajali ya ATV: Ni bora kuwasiliana na mwanasheria wa ajali ya kibinafsi mara tu baada ya ajali. Mesriani Law Group's timu imara ya Los Angeles msingi majeraha ya kibinafsi wanasheria itakuonyesha jinsi ya kupata na kuhifadhi ushahidi wakati wa ajali. Wao pia kukushauri juu ya nini si kufanya kama chama kingine au madai yao adjuster mawasiliano na wewe. Acha mazungumzo kwa wataalamu ili kuimarisha madai yako dhidi ya chama kilicho na kosa. Mtaalamu wa ajali ya ATV atasaidia kupata uharibifu wote unaostahili kwa mateso na hasara yako.