atv

ATV ACCIDENTS

Mississippi ATV Accident Lawyer

ATVs have been around now for 30 years. They are useful for hunters and landowners, and they are extremely fun to ride, but they have an inherently unstable design. These vehicles, which can sometimes weigh over 750 pounds, can easily tip over or roll. The engines have been tweaked over the years, achieving speeds over 60 miles per hour, and the frequent use of ATVs on uneven surfaces, and by children, has led to a continuous growth in the number of ATV-related fatalities and injuries. Finally, certain ATVs, such as the Yamaha Rhino, have been recalled, and are the subject of ongoing lawsuits.

For these reasons, only a skilled Mississippi ATV Accident Attorney should handle your case.

Characteristics of a Mississippi ATV Accident Case

  • Damages – You may suffer certain hardships following an ATV accident. For example, you may have medical bills, find it difficult to work in future, will most likely have damaged your own property, and might be sued for damaging someone else’s property. Your insurance company will not want to pay all these expenses. It is therefore important to hire a lawyer that is well versed in these areas to ensure that your rights are protected and that the maximum amount of compensation is awarded and collected in your case.
  • Comparative Negligence – Your insurance company or an affected 3rd party may argue that your conduct helped cause the accident, or at least made the damage more severe. Not wearing a helmet, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and not adhering to traffic regulations are common legal arguments under this doctrine. Legal arguments can become very complex where both parties may have been negligent, and Mississippi will apply the principles of “comparative negligence,” where the relative negligence by each party determines the damages. Hire an attorney that is well versed in this area of the law, as it may have far reaching consequences and affect the size of damages you receive.
  • Causation and Product Liability - Sometimes the manufacturer of the vehicle may be held liable in cases where there was a defect which has contributed to causing the accident. Examples are faulty tires, gas tanks, or brakes. The evidence may get complex and the manufacturer may decide to fight the case in court, arguing that, although there was a defect, there was no link between it and the injury. A good lawyer will examine the evidence and ensure that all possible compensatory avenues are explored. Currently, The Guthrie Firm, PLLC is evaluating Yamaha Rhino Rollover cases based on defects in the design that have prompted a recall.

After an accident it is important that you maximize your chances of financial recovery by collecting witness information from anyone who has witnessed the accident, receiving an accident report from local police, and maintaining confidentiality about the accident and its causes. See Clarence’s published article on this topic here. Clarence will take this information and ensure that you receive the maximum amount of recovery in the minimum time.

Types of ATV Accident Injuries

Injuries in an ATV accident are typically severe. Some of the more common injuries are:

Contact an Experienced Mississippi ATV Accident Lawyer

Clarence T. Guthrie III is an experienced attorney with over eleven years of litigation experience and over 250 contested cases to his name. And if you ask him nicely, he will show you the scar on his knee that a Honda ATC110 gave him in 1981. Contact us at our Ridgeland, Mississippi office, at 601-991-1099 or toll-free at 866-991-1055 to schedule an appointment for your free consultation. Feel free to contact us by email as well at clarence@guthriefirm.com. We are here to help.