Manhattan ATV Accident

In early 2017, a young girl was operating an ATV when she drove it over some debris. The ATV roll down a hill into a pond, landing upside down. The frantic parents of the girl desperately tried to rescue her. Paramedics soon arrived and helped get her out of the water. The girl had been under the water for a few minutes and was unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital where she remained in a coma. Each year thousands of people are seriously injured or killed in ATV accidents similar to this one. Over 10% of the victims are minors, including many who are under 10 years old. Because ATVs are prone to roll over, most ATV accident injuries are head and neck injuries. Other common injuries are broken arms, broken legs, and injuries to the torso. Statistics show that negligence is the main reason that most ATV accidents happened. If you or a loved were injured in an ATV accident due to the negligence of another person, it is important to speak with a New York ATV accident attorney will explain your options for pursuing a personal injury claim.

While the rules for driving ATVs are significantly different from the rules for driving cars, just like driving a car, it is important to use due care in order to not harm others. Unfortunately, many people do not operate ATVs with care, but are negligent. The specific reasons for most ATV accidents include:

• Driving on paved surface. While this may seem strange, ATVs do not perform well on paved surfaces. They are designed to travel on rough terrain. A high percentage of ATV accidents occur on paved surfaces.
• Passenger. Most ATVs are designed for only one rider. Adding a second rider can make it less stable and prone to roll over.
• Inexperience. Many people believe that ATVs are easy to use—much like bicycles or tricycles. The difference is that ATVs are motorized, making them dangerous if used by an experienced operator.
• Children. Because people often do not appreciate the skill required to safely operate an ATV, they allow children to operate them alone with little supervision. The results are often traumatic. Sadly, children are victims in a significant percentage of ATV accidents.
• Stunts. It takes experience to be able to perform stunts on an ATV similar to stunts people perform on TV or at events. Attempting to perform a stunt without proper training or without taking proper safety precaution can have serious consequences.
• Alcohol. It is not surprising that just like with car accidents, alcohol is often a contributing factor with ATV accidents.

Injuries from ATV accidents can be severe, in part because like SUVs, ATVs are prone to flip and rollover, causing serious trauma to the head, neck and back. If your injury was caused because another person was negligent, the law allows you to hold that person accountable. You can demand compensation from that person. Compensable losses include medical expenses, lost wages, lost self-employment income, lost benefits, and pain and suffering. If a loved one was killed in an ATV accident, you have may have the right to file a claim for wrongful death.

It is important to understand that there are time limits to filing a personal injury claim. In addition, preparing a case takes time. Thus, it is important that you contact an attorney right away. Failure to file your claim within the specified time period will result in you permanently losing your right to file a claim.

If you have been injured in an ATV accident that you believe was caused because another person acted negligently, it is important to act immediately and contact an experienced attorney. The legal staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury cases stemming from ATV accidents as well car accidents, truck accidents, and other types of vehicle accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.