An ATV, or “all-terrain vehicle,” is a type of recreational vehicle that you can drive off-road for fun or work. Many people use them to drive around the country or on family farms for pleasure. Farmers and laborers use ATVs to travel around farms and inspect crops and livestock. In short, ATVs have numerous applications.
Unfortunately, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 150,000 people went to the emergency room in 2007 for injuries related to ATVs. The most common injuries caused by ATVs result from flipping or rolling. When an ATV flips or rolls, it can throw the driver and passenger or even pin them beneath the vehicle.
Most ATVs are not designed to accommodate passengers and the added weight can imbalance the machine. Taking on a passenger on an ATV not rated to handle it, significantly increases the likelihood of injury or death. Additionally, ATVs do not undergo the same balance testing that other vehicles endure, therefore they should not be driven on paved roads.
Furthermore, several studies have found that children and adolescents suffer more severe injuries and head injuries than any other group.
Traumatic brain injuries are another common injury on ATVs. Concussions, neurological injuries, neck injuries, fractures, dislocations, and neck injuries can all result when an ATV driver hits his head after a crash, roll, or flip.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury due to an ATV-related accident, then you may want to seek legal advice from an attorney. ATVs are notoriously connected to severe brain and head injuries. These injuries require significant sums of money to treat. A lawyer can help you get the compensation you need to get your life back on track.