The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

When Yamaha released the Rhino, it suspected it might have a winner. Similar to ATVs, the Rhino is a small, relatively inexpensive vehicle for navigating off road. It allows outdoorsmen to travel from the parking lot to their blind or fishing spot quickly and easily and maximize the time spent getting game. But the Rhino has several benefits over traditional ATVs because it features two side-by-side seats, as well as a substantial cargo area. This means that two people can ride together comfortably and carry a significant amount of gear as well. Sales for the Rhino started slow, but as word got out, they climbed rapidly, cresting over 40,000 sold in 2007.

However, with the rising popularity of the Rhino, questions began to surface about the vehicle's safety. Most models were sold without doors, and, even with doors, rollovers often resulted in arms and legs being thrown outside the vehicle, leading to broken limbs, amputations, and more than 30 deaths. Not being a true ATV, the vehicle was not subject to rules and recommendations governing ATV safety, and not being a true automobile, the vehicle was exempt from rules preventing dangerous vehicles from being on the road. Over 200 defective product lawsuits have been filed against Yamaha, alleging that the vehicle is defective in design.

Currently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating the vehicle's safety. It has designated the Rhino a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) to distinguish it from ATVs. On February 13, 2009, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated the lawsuits under Western District of Kentucky judge Jennifer B. Coffman, right in our back yard.

If you have been hurt by Yamaha's dangerous Rhino UTV or any other dangerous consumer product, you need the resources of a nationwide firm to take on the big corporation that put you at risk. Schedule a defective product lawsuit consultation with the Memphis, Tennessee product liability lawyers at The Cochran Firm today.