Zero-Turn Lawnmower Accident Lawyers

Lawnmower accidents are far more common than one might think. If you own a riding lawnmower, it is critical that you take steps to protect yourself and that you become aware of the hazards. Otherwise, you could easily become injured due to manufacturer negligence.

Our Tennessee products liability lawyers have successfully handled multiple defective mower claims. Some of the claims include:

• Rollover Cases: These are the most common mower accident cases. They are generally preventable when the mowers are equipped with a ROP (rollover protective structure) and seatbelts. Unfortunately, there are several manufactures that have elected to save money by not included this simple safety mechanisms on all of their mowers and therefore putting people at risk.

• Blades Turning While in Reverse: Each year hundreds of children are injured by “back over accidents”. Despite this being a recognized risk with an easy, cheap solution, many manufactures refuse to address the problem. The solution is known in the industry as “no-mow-in-reverse”.

In less than a decade (1996 to 2004) emergency rooms treated 663,000 people from injuries related to riding lawmowers. Of those injured, between 1990 and 2004, 140,700 of them where children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children represent over 10,000 lawnmower victims every year.

There are several reasons that children are at risk for becoming injured, even though they very rarely drive riding lawnmowers. First, in tall grass, it can become difficult to see a small child. If a mower does not have a no-mow-in-reverse (NMIR) system, a driver could back up and run over a child accidentally cutting them with the lawnmower blade. Children are also at risk if they ride on the lawnmower with an adult and accidentally fall out, becoming cut by the blade in the process.

Some of the more common lawnmower accidents include:

• Rollover accidents. This can happen on steep inclines or by tipping after running over a large bump or even turning. Rollover accidents can lead to devastating injuries as the mower itself crashes into the driver and the blade comes in contact with the body.
• Run-over accidents. Both children and other adults can have part of their body run over by a riding lawnmower, especially when an NMIR system is not present.
• Fire. In rare cases, a lawnmower may catch on fire, causing injuries to the driver and anyone nearby.

The type of injuries that you sustained during the accident will directly impact the amount of compensation you will be entitled to. The more severe the injury and the less likely that you will reach a full recovery, the more money you will be deserving of. Some of the most common injuries associated with a lawnmower accident are –

• Loss of limbs and traumatic amputations.
• Severe cuts and bleeding.
• Broken bones.
• Head trauma or traumatic brain injuries.
• Hemorrhage.
• Death.

In order for you to have a case against the lawnmower manufacturer, we need to prove that they were negligent and responsible for the accident. Since they will not have been there at the time, negligence will need to be traced back to the time of manufacturing. To do so, we need to determine what caused your accident. For example, was the accident caused by the blade cutting someone as you backed up? If so, that could be due to a lack of an NMIR switch, which should have been included in the manufacture of the lawnmower. Simultaneously, if you were in a rollover accident, that could be due to the lack of a rollover protection system.

When you purchase a lawnmower or any product it should meet the consumer expectation test. This means that if you operate it correctly, it should perform without causing you harm. If you are harmed anyway, it is time to consider the role that the manufacture played in your accident and hold them financially accountable for your injuries. To discuss this in further detail contact the Nashville Injury attorneys at The Higgins Firm at 901-584-0071 and schedule a consultation.