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POLARIS RECALLS & ACCIDENTS


Nationwide Representation Following Polaris ATV Injury
Nationwide Success

Polaris ATV Accident Attorney

Investigating Polaris ATV Recalls: Fire Hazards & Rollover Accidents

Polaris ATV, ROV and UTV models have been recalled for various reasons in recent years. According to medical records and data compiled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly 700 ATV-related deaths occur each year, many related to safety hazards.

The majority of ROV accidents are considered preventable if the vehicles are handled properly and equipped with basic safety features including roll bars and safety mesh. ATV and ROV accidents have been linked to over 300 deaths in just Ohio in the last 10 years.

Consumers should stop using any recalled Polaris ROV model and if a passenger has sustained an injury, should contact a medical professional and an experienced attorney for potential legal action and rightful compensation.

Joe Lyon is an experienced Catastrophic Injury Lawyer and Product Liability Attorney with experience litigating serious ATV and ROV accidents.

Mr. Lyon has represented plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of product liability, wrongful death and injury claims. 

Polaris Ranger ROV Recalls

Attorneys and plaintiffs claim Polaris has neglected alleged ATV fire hazards in its ATVs and ROVs. Lawsuits say that Polaris’ Prostar engine, fuel lines and exhaust system are prone to generating excessive heat that can lead to fires and injury. Polaris has allegedly been aware of these issues for years but has failed to eliminate the safety hazards.

Since 2016, Polaris has recalled more than 550,000 vehicles due to fire hazards and other safety hazards. Attorneys and experts say the company knew about the source of these problems for years before taking action, which has prompted a series of class action lawsuits.

Recently, defective heat shields have been reportedly responsible for 150 fires, 11 burns, one death and a 10-acre wildfire. In 2013, Polaris learned of defective heat shields on their RZR Polaris ROVs.

Although Polaris was potentially aware of the bad parts and potential for rider injury, the issue wasn’t addressed until a 15-year-old rider was killed when the ATV caught fire in 2015. Around 10 more injured riders and five additional fires were reported over the next year.

In September 2016 Polaris notified the Consumer Products Safety Commission of the defect and issued a recall of 100,000 RZR and Ranger vehicles.

As a result of the dangers ATVs and ROVs present to the consumer, the CPSC has called them “hazards” and has questioned manufacturers regarding numerous safety risks. The CPSC has recalled several ATVs and ROVs, including Polaris Ranger and Polaris RZR models due to the following:

  • Defective Throttles
  • Fire Hazards—defective fuel tanks
  • Roll bar Defects
  • Suspension Defects
  • Safety Mesh Defects
  • Battery Defects
  • Transmission Defects
  • Violations of Safety Standards
  • Brake failure
  • Debris Intrusion

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ABOUT THE LYON FIRM

Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.

The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.

NO COST UNLESS WE WIN

The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.

Polaris Ranger ATV Accidents

Polaris Ranger accidents commonly include injuries following rollovers. ROV frontal rollovers, side rollovers, and rear rollovers can all result in the driver being thrown from the vehicle and suffering severe injury. The most common allegations of causes of ATV and Polaris Ranger accidents and injuries include:

  • Defective design
  • Roll bar defects
  • Removal of safety features
  • Defective safety mesh
  • Removal of safety mesh
  • Tire Blowouts
  • Lack of driver training
  • Poorly maintained riding trails
  • Inadequate manufacturer warnings
  • Brake failure
  • Fire risks

Polaris Ranger Injury Cases

Children are particularly vulnerable to ROV injuries and deaths and riders under 18 years of age suffer about a third of recorded ATV and ROV injuries. In 2015, there were over 97,000 ATV-related emergency department visits in the United States. Many of these injuries were severe and life-threatening, including:

Polaris RZR Fire Risks

In 2023, Polaris recalled over 27,000 Model Year 2021 RZR XP Turbo and RZR Turbo S Recreational Off-Road Vehicles. The vehicle’s clutch could allegedly fracture, causing fragments to be ejected from the vehicle, posing fire and injury hazards.

Other recalls have involved burn hazards. Fires related to Polaris RZR vehicles are not as uncommon as one might think. Recreational riders have suffered serious burn injury, and succumbed to fatalities following ATV accidents that have led to the ROV catching fire or rolling over and crushing passengers.

Without adequate airflow in the current design, the exhaust of the Polaris RZR creates a hot spot behind passengers that can burn debris and leaking fuel. Polaris Industries has a poor safety record, and from 2013 to 2018, the company issued RZR recalls 10 times for fire hazards. More than 180 RZR fires have been reported and dozens have been injured.

ATV recalls are usually only issued after severe accidents and injuries are reported. Attorneys claim the company knew about safety risks and decided to conceal its knowledge of defective products. At one point, 160,000 RZRs from 2013 to 2016 were recalled, including 133,000 in the United States. Reports of melting and smoking side panels on RZR models have not stopped the company from selling the vehicle.

Due to Polaris failing to immediately reported a potential defect, the company was fined $27.25 million by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Other Polaris burn injury lawsuits are pending.

Polaris has settled some injury claims out of court to hush the news reports, though consumer protection lawyers aim to better protect the public with widespread recalls and compensation for injured riders.

In December 2019, warned consumers that some 2019-2020 Ranger XP 1000 models were equipped with incorrectly routed fuel lines, potentially leading to ATV fire risks.

ATV Burn Injury

ATV and ROV Accidents are so common that many consumers consider them normal occurrences. But many ATV injuries happen through no fault of the owner. Defective and recalled ATV models can pose serious safety risks. The Polaris RZR is one such vehicle, with a dismal safety record.

Product Liability lawyers across the nation have filed burn injury claims and design defect lawsuits on behalf of ATV owners who suffer preventable accidents and injuries. Off-road vehicles can be a lot of fun, until they malfunction or when safety mechanisms fail.

Serious fire hazards linked to the Polaris RZR have prompted injured ATV riders to file suit against the company, which has been forced to recall several models of ROVs and ATVs over the last ten years. But the safety issues still persist, and Polaris may be responsible for hundreds of ATV injuries each year.

ATV Debris Intrusion

Fires and rollover accidents may be more common issues but debris intrusion is also a potential safety hazard. ATV owners often install extra protection to flooring and side panels due to a lack of floor model protection from sticks and other sharp objects. 

Companies sell floor guards, fender guards, or fender armor so consumers can protect themselves. But attorneys argue Polaris may have a duty to manufacture their UTV, ATV and ROV models with enough protection. 

There have been ATV injury reports related to debris intrusion. At least one man was operating his UTV when a sharp stick cut through the bottom of the vehicle and impaled him. Such injuries are considered preventable and foreseeable. 

ATV Recall Lawsuits

The safety issues for Polaris ATV and ROV vehicles continue. Another 100,000 vehicles in December 2017 were recalled for defective heat shields surrounding the exhaust, creating fire hazards.

Polaris was fined $27 million for failing to notify the CPSC in a timely manner of the heat shield issue. The penalty settles charges that Polaris failed to immediately report to CPSC that models of RZR and Ranger recreational off-road vehicles contained defects that could create a substantial product safety hazard. The Polaris ATV recalls have cost Polaris $340 million in warranty costs over the last two years.

Polaris and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a statement declaring that certain Polaris models (RZR 900 and 1000) prone to combust, and some ATVs that had been recalled and repaired had later ignited, resulting in the total loss of the vehicle.

Design flaws have shown up in several Polaris models and the company has issued dozens of Polaris ATV recalls. Polaris has termed these burn hazards “thermal hazards,” a soft euphemism for the tendency of RZRs, Rangers, Turbos, Generals, Slingshots, and snowmobiles to catch fire. Polaris RZR 900 and RZR 1000 models are still at risk of catching fire and injuring consumers.

ATV Lawsuits: Polaris Ranger Accidents

Polaris Industries has been hit with multiple product liability lawsuits due to allegedly defective ATV and ROV models that present serious safety risks to consumers. There have been over a hundred ATV recalls in the last ten years, and consumers continue to report serious ATV injury and ATV fires.

All-terrain vehicles (ATV) and Polaris ROV accidents cause thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths each year. Due to the inherent instability of certain ATV and ROV models, rollover crashes are all too common for consumers, and the safety features on ROVs and ATVs like roll bars and safety mesh fail to protect riders, and severe injuries including amputations are a real risk.

If you have had a serious accident with an ROV or ATV, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney. It is critical that evidence (including photographs of the accident scene, physical evidence and witness testimony) is preserved for a full investigation involving design engineers and accident reconstruction experts to determine the root cause.

photo of attorney Joe Lyon reviewing polaris atv cases
A Voice for Those who have suffered

Why are these cases important?

Serious injuries and accidents often result through no fault of the injured party, yet the injured victim suffers from life altering physical, mental and financial losses. Such economic and human losses can have devastating financial consequences on individuals and families if not properly compensated. Tort law allows those individuals to seek just legal recourse through ATV injury lawsuits.

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Questions about Polaris ATV Recalls

What is a Polaris ATV Lawsuit?

Any kind of negligence by a company that causes injury or harm can lead to filing a product liability lawsuit. The amount a plaintiff is entitled to depends on several factors, particularly how egregious the act and how serious the injury.

Personal injury attorneys generally only will take cases on a confidential and contingency fee basis, which means your lawyer will only get paid if he or she is able to reach a settlement or positive verdict. The Lyon Firm will review your case for free and assess what compensation any plaintiff can expect through litigation.

Personal Injury cases can range from minor auto accidents to complex lawsuits filed against large corporations. The Lyon Firm has handled both with equal care. 

Have Polaris ATVs been recalled?

Polaris has issued several recalls over the years for unsafe ROV, ATV and UTV models. To check which models have been recalled lately, check their Website. 

Can I File an ATV Defect Lawsuit?

You may not be aware that your ATV or ROV is defective. It is not always obvious when your throttle or safety component fails to function as intended. It can take an expert in auto engineering to determine what contributed to an accident or injury.

You can contact The Lyon Firm, and we will work diligently to review your ATV accident case. If an ATV defect was in part responsible for an ATV injury, a lawsuit can be filed and a large settlement is likely.

If negligent manufacturers are directly responsible for an ATV-related injury, a product liability and personal injury lawsuit may be filed and compensation may be recovered for accident victims. Plaintiffs may seek compensation that may include property damages, past and future medical expenses, lost wages and future earnings, and pain and suffering.

The Lyon Firm takes pride in representing consumers and holding negligent ATV manufacturers accountable for defects that lead to accidents and injuries. 

What are the Most common ATV Defects?

In recent years, the most common ATV defects have been defective throttles, ignition issues, leaking fuel lines, faulty roll cages, harnesses, brakes and fire hazards. 

Are RZRs Safe?

Due to rollover and fire hazards, some RZR models and other Polaris ATV and ROVs have been recalled for injury risks. 

Our Victories

The Lyon Firm aggressively, professionally, and passionately advocates for injured individuals and families against negligent individuals or companies to obtain just compensation under the law. 

$1,000,000

WRONGFUL DEATH: DISTRACTED DRIVER

(Brown County, Kentucky):   The Lyon Firm was second chair a case involving a driver texting and driving when he crossed the median, killing a father of four. The case was resolved once discovery confirmed the cell phone records proved the texting-related incident. The settlement will pay for the surviving childrens’ education. The driver was likely facing additional criminal charges at the time of the settlement.

$495,000

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

(Cincinnati, Ohio):  The Lyon Firm was lead counsel in a $495,000 settlement. This case involved a motorcycle operator who sustained fractures of the calcaneus, talus, medial cuneiform, tarsal bones, and tarsometatarsal when a car ignored its driving lane and crossed into his right-of-way. Settlement provided repayment of medical bills of $20,000 and funds for future education to re-enter the work force in a less physically-demanding job.