Yamaha Rhino Rollover Lawsuit Filed in Florida

A 38-year-old woman has filed a Yamaha Rhino rollover lawsuit in Florida, joining over 200 similar cases that have been filed in various state and federal courts throughout the United States by riders who allege they sustained serious injuries caused by design problems with Yamaha’s side-by-side ATV.

Rachel Jollimore filed her lawsuit against Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, in the Circuit Court for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in Marion County, Florida. The Yamaha Rhino Jollimore was riding in rolled over on July 7, 2007, as the driver was making a low-speed turn on relatively flat terrain.

The Rhino rolled over onto its passenger side, trapping Jollimore under the weight of the vehicle. As a result of the ATV rollover, Jollimore suffered a severe brain injury that required placement of a stent in her brain to drain fluid.

Did You Know?

Millions of Philips CPAP Machines Recalled

Philips DreamStation, CPAP and BiPAP machines sold in recent years may pose a risk of cancer, lung damage and other injuries.

Learn More

The allegations in Jollimore’s case are similar to those raised in other Yamaha Rhino roll over lawsuits, claiming that as the all-terrain vehicle was designed, it is extremely unstable and has been found to rollover at speeds as low as 10 to 15 miles per hour.

The Yamaha Rhino is a cross between a recreational ATV and utility vehicles. It features a powerful engine, a high center of gravity, a narrow wheel base, small tires and a small turning radius. These design features combine to make the side-by-side ATV prone to roll over, even under normal operating conditions.

There is no consolidated Yamaha Rhino litigation being handled in a coordinated fashion, so every lawsuit alleging design defects with vehicle is being handled as an individual case.

Although Yamaha has not formally confirmed how many lawsuits have been filed against them as a result of Rhino rollovers, several sources have confirmed that at least 200 cases have been filed.

Last week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) acknowledged that they are now looking into the safety issues surrounding the Yamaha Rhino given the growing number of rollovers and reported injuries.

According to the Wall Street Journal, at least 30 deaths have been reported as a result of Yamaha Rhino rollovers.

Image Credit: 2008 Yamaha Rhino 700

1 Comments

  • Yamaha Rhino ATV Litigation Consolidated in Kentucky : AboutLawsuits.comFebruary 19, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    [...] federal Yamaha Rhino Rollover lawsuit filed in any U.S. District Court throughout the country will be transferred to Judge Coffman in the [...]

Share Your Comments

I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward
Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward (Posted yesterday)

A federal judge has cleared Gardasil lawsuits to move forward, after paring down plaintiffs' claims to those alleging Merck either failed to warn, or fraudulently concealed, the HPV vaccine's risks from the medical community.