ATV Accidents Lawyers in Richmond, VA

All-terrain vehicles have a wide variety of occupational and recreational uses. These vehicles are used in everything from agriculture and construction to hunting and off-road racing. Of course, as fun and useful as ATVs are, they also carry significant risks when not properly operated or maintained.

Indeed, ATV accidents have led to thousands of preventable deaths over the years, with many of those fatalities involving children and teenagers. If you, or someone that you love, has been seriously injured or even killed, a qualified Richmond ATV accidents lawyer can assist in seeking compensation from the negligent operator and other parties. Ryan Wind is an experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer, and his team at Wind Law, LLC, will make every effort to ensure that your family receives justice following an ATV accident.

How Dangerous Are Off-Road Vehicles?

ATV Accidents

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that over the most recent three-year period for which it had complete accident statistics, there were 2,211 deaths in the United States associated with off-highway vehicles, a category that includes all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-highway vehicles, and utility-terrain vehicles. The vast majority of those deaths, however, occurred specifically in ATVs.

The deaths also only tell part of the story. During the five years from 2016 to 2020, the CPSC estimated there were over half a million emergency room visits arising from off-highway vehicles–or roughly 100,000 reported injuries per year. And roughly half of those injuries involved victims under the age of 24.

So why are ATVs so dangerous? It often comes down to driver negligence. Some of the more common causes of ATV accidents include:

  • driving outside of designated areas for ATV use;
  • driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
  • allowing unqualified individuals–especially minors–to operate an ATV unsupervised;
  • carrying a passenger on an ATV designed for one person; and
  • driving an ATV at excessive speeds.

It is important to note, however, that driver error is just one potential source of liability for an ATV accident. For example, if you are riding an ATV on someone else’s property with their permission, and there is a hazardous condition on that land that causes an accident, you may have a premises liability claim against the owner. Similarly, if you are operating on an ATV trail that is not properly maintained, the owner may be liable for damages.

There are also numerous cases where a defect in the ATV itself is to blame for an accident. For instance, perhaps the ATV’s brakes malfunctioned or the steering wheel stopped working at a critical moment. In that scenario, the manufacturer of the vehicle–or a defective part used in the ATV–can be sued under Virginia product liability laws.

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Contact Our Skilled ATV Accidents in Richmond, Virginia For Help Today

ATV accidents often leave victims to deal with serious physical and psychological injuries. So it is important to hold a negligent ATV operator or other third party accountable when their negligence is responsible for such injuries. If you need to speak with a skilled Richmond ATV accident lawyer, contact Wind Law, LLC, today to schedule a consultation.