ATV Accident Lawyer in Bonney Lake
When you see any commercial or advertising for an ATV, you are presented with the image of something fun and exciting. While an ATV ride can be quite a thrill for the driver, it also can be very dangerous for both the driver and others around them. Thousands of Americans each year are seriously injured by these vehicles. If you have been injured by an ATV, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation.
There are different ways that injuries happen in an ATV accident:
- Other people in the vicinity may be injured by an ATV driver.
- The person on the ATV themselves can get hurt when the ATV that they bought or rented was defective and rolled over.
Both of these scenarios can lead to financial compensation. Working with a Bonney Lake ATV attorney, you could file a claim with the insurance company or a lawsuit if necessary.
ATV Accident Statistics
The size of the global ATV market was expected to exceed one million units in 2020. Off-roading is becoming a thing to do for many American families on a weekend afternoon. However, more people buying ATVs means more accidents. The costs of these accidents can be considerable. One estimate placed the overall cost of ATV accidents to the American economy at over $22 billion each year. If you have been injured, you are likely facing substantial physical and economic damages.
According to a government report, the number of ATV injuries increased by 65 percent over the course of a decade. This study reported 134,000 total ATV injuries in the last year of the period covered, a number that promises to grow even further as more ATVs are sold in the U.S. and Washington.
In Washington, 186 people were killed by ATVs between 1982-2014. Between 2015-2017, 22 people were killed. This shows that ATV accidents are increasing as vehicles become more popular.
Causes of ATV Crashes
There are a number of different ways that you could be injured while riding an ATV or in an accident with an ATV. Here are some:
- More ATV drivers mean that fewer of them receive the proper training before they get behind the wheel.
- Since ATVs are recreational vehicles, some people drink before and during their rides, even though it is illegal.
- People can drive ATVs recklessly, endangering other people in the nearby area.
- Children may be driving because Washington allows kids as young as 13 to operate an ATV.
- The ATV that you are driving could be defective, and it could roll over, or you could strike a tree when you lose control of the vehicle.
As long as someone else is at fault for your injuries, you may recover financially no matter how the injury occurred.
ATV Accident Injuries
Injuries in an ATV accident can be more serious than those suffered in other crashes. If you have been struck by an ATV, chances are that you are either on foot or on a bicycle since ATVs must operate off-road. This will leave you less protected from the impact and could result in severe injury.
If you are driving, you are also less protected than you would be in a car. Even if you are wearing a helmet, there is little else to protect your head from catastrophic impact. Additionally, your ATV could also roll over and end up on top of you, causing severe internal injuries.
How Liability Is Determined in an ATV Accident
If you have been injured by an ATV driver, you would be entitled to compensation if the driver was negligent. The insurance company or a court would look at how the ATV driver was operating the vehicle and if they were driving unreasonably. The following actions by the driver could lead to compensation for injured persons:
- Driving at an excessive rate of speed
- Overly aggressive driving
- Operating an ATV in a prohibited or dangerous area
- Driving without a permit or the proper training
If you are an ATV driver yourself who was injured, you would need to show that another driver was negligent if you were in a crash with them. If your claim is that the ATV itself caused your injuries, you would need to file a product liability lawsuit where you claim that the ATV was defective.
Consult with a Bonney Lake ATV Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an ATV accident, you should contact a Bonney Lake ATV Accident Attorney immediately to examine whether you have a valid ATV injury claim. If you are in Bonney Lake, Auburn, Enumclaw, Buckley, Puyallup, Orting, Sumner, nearby or surrounding cities contact Anderson Law, PLLC, online o at (253) 862-1811 to learn more about your legal rights.
