Yamaha ATV Lawsuits: Over 200 Cases Filed for Rhino Rollover Injuries and Deaths

Since Yamaha introduced the Rhino side-by-side in 2003, the vehicle has been found to roll over even when it is operated at slow speeds on flat surfaces. This has resulted in a growing number of Yamaha ATV lawsuits filed by riders and passengers who suffered severe, and sometimes fatal, injuries.

There are over 200 known Yamaha Rhino lawsuits that have been filed in various state and federal courts throughout the United States.

The Yamaha lawsuits allege that design defects cause the Rhino to rollover, that inadequately warnings are provided about the stability problems and that Yamaha failed to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of injury for riders and passengers.

Yamaha designed to Rhino to compete with utility vehicles, such as the Kawasaki Mule and John Deere Gator. However, to gain a market advantage, they made the vehicle faster and more agile, with many traits of a recreational ATV.

Independent testing has confirmed that combining a powerful engine with a high center of gravity, a narrow wheel base and a quick turn radius, caused the Rhino to be very unstable and prone to roll over.

All of the Yamaha ATV lawsuits currently pending are filed as individual cases in various state and federal court systems throughout the United States. Although multiple people have alleged injuries as a result of the Rhino’s design defects, the cases have not been consolidated in an MDL or multidistrict litigation, which often occurs in complex product liability cases, such as those involving medical devices or dangerous drugs.

Since there is no consolidated or coordinated discovery, the exact number of pending Yamaha Rhino ATV lawsuits filed is not readily available.

The Sand family from Ohio, who lost their daughter in a Yamaha Rhino accident last year, started a website in their daughter’s honor to provide information about the safety concerns surrounding the Rhino. The family has done a thorough job of compiling a list of pending lawsuits against Yamaha involving the Rhino. According to a spreadsheet posted on the site, there are at least 210 Yamaha Rhino law suits that have been filed.

Almost every week, there are reports about a new Yamaha lawsuit that has been filed involving the Rhino stability problems. Unfortunately, there also continue to be Rhino accidents on a regular basis, so the number of lawsuits filed against Yamaha is only likely to continue to grow.