Arctic Cat has issued recalls for various off-highway utility vehicles. These recalls both happened within 2 months of each other. The first occurred in March 2019 and focused on Stampede and Rustler off-highway utility vehicles. The second occurred in May 2019 and concerned Havoc recreational off-highway vehicles. Each recall was issued for similar reasons: the suspension on the vehicles was faulty in some way. On the Stampede and Rustler vehicles, the lower front suspension arm had trouble and could fail or break during a trip. On Havoc vehicles, the upper front suspension arm could break. Both breaks or failures could lead to crashes – the suspension holds the tires up and keeps them a safe distance from the body with ample bounce in the shocks and turning capabilities in the ball joints.
Arcitc Cat Textron Off-Road Utility Vehicles Recall Details
The March 5th, 2019 recall affected roughly 700 units of the Arctic Cat Textron vehicles. The vehicles were both sold with multiple color schemes, possessed four wheels, and could fit two or four people in them. The VIN numbers are 9003240 through 9004062. All VIN numbers could be found by raising the hoods of the vehicles.
The vehicles were sold from September 2017 through December 2018 at a cost of at least $13,800. They were sold at Textron dealers across the country and were manufactured in Minnesota by Arctic Cat. To date, there have been four reports of failures of the suspension.
Consumers were advised to stop using the vehicles and to schedule a repair. Arctic Cat reached out to consumers directly to inform them of the issue.
The May 22nd, 2019 recall affected about 1,700 units of the vehicles. All 2018 and 2019 Havoc vehicles had numerous color combinations and could seat two people. They were also sold at Textron and Arctic Cat dealers for between $13,800 and $17,000, and were likewise manufactured in Minnesota. All vehicles were sold between January 2018 and April 2019. To date, six reports were made concerning broken suspensions. Consumers were again contacted directly to schedule a free repair and were advised to refrain from using the vehicles.
Potential Accidents and Injuries
Because off-highway utility vehicles are not used on the road, they are privy to a unique set of accidents. Riders should be keenly aware of the environment and the dangers; most of the vehicles are driven in forests and fields, and the terrain is rough and hard to get across. Vehicles may easily flip or lose control. If you were in a vehicle, you could be thrown out of it due to its open seating.
The vehicles can plummet off ledges, get stuck in ditches, fall into ponds, fall into potholes, and more. At high speeds, the failed suspension can result in the vehicle lurching forward, rolling over, and more.
Possible injuries that can result from Arctic Cat ROV accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Sprains
- Strains
- Torn muscles
- Nerve damage
- Closed head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Puncture wounds
- Crushing injuries
- Degloving
- Facial injuries
- Scarring
- Severed limbs and digits
- Burns
- Lacerations, cuts, bruises, and abrasions
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Coma
- Death
The ROVs are not nearly as safe as other vehicles. They do not have windows, air bags, and cushions, but they do have roll bars and seat belts. However, the presence of seat belts in an open vehicle can be dangerous. If you are pinned beneath the vehicle, the seat belt will actually be detrimental and can lead to additional damages.
What should I do to file a lawsuit against Arctic Cat?
If you wish to sue Arctic Cat for injuries suffered in an accident with a defective ROV, you must prove that the item was defective and gather your evidence. Product liability lawsuits can be filed if at least one of the following conditions is met:
- There was a manufacturing error with the vehicle that caused the defect
- There was a design flaw with the creation of the vehicle
- There was a lack of warning signs or hazard signs on the product or packaging
If you can prove that the company manufactured a defective product, you can take legal action. The presence of a recall is generally enough to prove that the company was in the wrong. It is important that you follow these steps if you wish to sue:
- Do not tamper with the vehicle or try to fix it; if you do, you can lose the ability to sue, as the company can claim that you caused the issue yourself
- Do not return the vehicle to the company, as you will lose your most crucial piece of evidence
- Go to the hospital at once to get medical treatment for your injuries
- Hold on to medical notes and hospital receipts
- Take photos of your injuries
- Take pictures of the defect, the scene of the incident, and anything else that should be documented
- Print out receipts or proof of purchase documents showing that you bought the Arctic Cat vehicle
- Interview eyewitnesses, passengers, or bystanders who saw the accident happen and take down their testimonies and statements
- Contact a skilled lawyer with experience in product liability cases
It is important that you call a lawyer to help you with your case. Too often, individuals will try to go through with claims by themselves when they are inexperienced or do not have any idea what to do. They will usually get no further than sending the claim, as they do not have negotiating experience and do not know how to hold a company legally liable. This is why it is highly recommended that you seek out an Arctic Cat Textron ROV accident injury lawyer.
What is the deadline to file a lawsuit for injuries suffered from a defective Arctic Cat?
In California, the statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits and defective product claims is 2 years from the date of the injury. If you do not file a lawsuit within that time period, your claim will be void, and you will not have the ability to sue or collect compensation in the future. The statute of limitations allows both parties enough time to gather proof. Evidence is also less likely to be corrupted, lost, or thrown away if the time limit is a respectable 2 years.
There are some scenarios in which the statute of limitations can be extended. For example, if you were under 18 at the time of the incident, you can wait until you turn legal age to sue, as minors cannot legally take action by themselves. The statute would then begin once you turn 18 years old. You also may have been left physically or mentally incapacitated after an accident, in which case, you can wait until you return to health to file a claim. If the defendant leaves the state, the statute will also be suspended until he returns.
To ensure that you do not miss a chance to file a lawsuit, speak with our lawyers. We will file your claim on time and have all necessary documents submitted within the time frame.
What can I win in an Arctic Cat lawsuit?
Victims of defective Arctic Cat accidents should be fairly compensated for their injuries. The value of your case will vary according to the type of injuries you suffered, how impactful they were, and more. If you were not seriously injured, you will likely not be given a large settlement offer. However, if the damages were long-lasting or required numerous treatments and surgeries, you would likely have a larger restitution amount. The insurance agent will make the offer, and if we are not satisfied with the number, we will negotiate a fairer deal from him. Insurance agencies will do all they can to protect profits and prevent the company from losing money, and you should not accept a small offer.
We will work to bring you the following damages:
- Medical bills (surgery, hospital stay, ambulatory transportation, medication and drugs, physical therapy, future treatments, and more)
- Property damage (Reimbursement for lost items and the cost of the ROV)
- Lost income (if you were unable to return to work or if you could not go to work in the future due to medical treatment or recovery time)
- Pain and suffering damages (emotional suffering, PTSD, fear, anxiety, psychological trauma)
Your claim may be worth a fair amount of money. Arctic Cat should be held responsible for your losses if you were involved in an accident because of the broken ROV the company produced.
Choosing Our Firm
Kenmore Law Group in Los Angeles is one of the premier law firms for handling defective product lawsuits. We know the ins and outs of the law, and we have decades of experience between all of our attorneys at the firm. Our tactics are guaranteed to win you the damages you deserve. Call us today to receive a free legal consultation about your claim. We can be reached around the clock – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you hire us, we’ll give you our zero fee guarantee. This means that you won’t owe us any money from start to finish – we will get paid if we win, and the money will come from the settlement we bring you. If we lose, we take nothing. You never spend a dime of your own money.
Let Kenmore law group help if you need a defective Arctic Cat accident lawyer to file a lawsuit against Textron for injuries.