Golf Cars Recalled by Yamaha
On February 13th, 2020, Yamaha issued a recall for 1,350 of its golf cars. The cars were recalled because the hubs on the front wheels can crack during use, which can cause the entire wheel or both wheels to fall off the vehicle. This can lead to various accidents and injuries if the driver is proceeding quickly in the car.
Four different model types of the golf car were recalled. The vehicles came in different colors, including blue, red, white, green, tan, silver, and grey. You can locate the model and serial number on the vehicle by underneath the passenger seat for a label. All recalled models are the 2020 year. Pertinent identifying information can be found below:
- Drive2 QuieTech, model prefix J0B, serial number range 305606 through 306957
- Drive2 AC, model prefix J0J, serial number range 301002 through 301100
- Drive2 EFI, model prefix J0K, serial number range 103401 through 104680
- Drive2 DC, model prefix J0C, serial number range 303701 through 304600
All Yamaha golf cars were manufactured in the United States and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company in Georgia. They were sold by Yamaha golf car dealerships in 2019, from June to December. They cost around $6,100 to $6,300 to buy.
Yamaha recommends that customers refrain from driving the golf cars. They can contact the company for a free repair for the front wheels. The company is also contacting all known customers directly to head off the likelihood of an accident. Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported.
Defective Golf Car Accidents and Injuries
A defective golf car can lead to a whole host of accidents. Golf cars generally have one or two individuals inside with bags of clubs and other golfing equipment, which can be extremely heavy. The carts have no safety features like airbags or seat belts, and if an accident happens, the passengers will not be too safe. The passengers can be thrown from the vehicle or trapped beneath it and whatever is being transported, leading to serious injuries.
The defective golf cars have front wheels that can break, which could make the entire front end dip and shift. Rollovers are not uncommon in such situations. Some of the injuries that you may suffer in golf car accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Sprains
- Fractures
- Strains
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Closed head injuries
- Puncture wounds
- Crushing injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Torn muscles
- CRPS
- Nerve damage
- Severed limbs and digits
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Death
If you were seriously hurt in a defective golf car accident, it is important that you take appropriate legal action.
Steps to Take to Sue Yamaha for a Defective Golf Car
In order to sue Yamaha for injuries from a defective golf car accident, you must prove that the company was liable or negligent. This can be shown in one of three ways. They include:
- The car had a design error that meant it was doomed from the beginning
- The car had a manufacturing error that caused parts to be shoddily affixed or the wrong materials to be used
- The car had a lack of warning signs and hazard symbols to address potential risks
- Coverage for medical bills from the past and future for surgery, hospital stays, ambulatory transportation, prescription drugs, physical rehabilitation sessions, and future treatments
- Lost wages if you were unable to work in the past or in the future because of medical treatment, injuries, or recovery time
- Property damage to replace or repair any goods of yours that were broken in the incident
- Pain and suffering damages for psychological scarring, emotional anxiety, PTSD, fear, and more
The hubs on the tires could break, which leads to the belief that there was a manufacturing error. The hubs can be repaired, according to the company, so the error happened after the units were already being created.
After you have determined the cause of negligence, you can gather your evidence. It is important that you get medical help immediately after the accident to treat your injuries. Your health may worsen over time if you do not go to the doctor at once. To make matters more complicated, a large gap between the incident and the treatment could be suspicious to the insurance agent. He could say that you were hurt elsewhere and you were merely retroactively trying to blame the injuries on the golf car accident. While at the doctor, be sure to hold on to all medical receipts, notes from the physician, test results, and more.
Take as many photos as you can of the injuries you suffered, the scene where the golf car got into an accident, the damage or defect on the vehicle, and more. There may be individuals who were recording or there may be cameras on the golf course that you can use to get video footage from, as well.
If there were any eyewitnesses, you can ask that they add their testimonies and statements to your claim. They can attest to the front wheel hub breaking or the wheel falling off due to an issue. Additional perspectives will make your claim more solid.
You must not throw away the golf car, return it, repair it, try to fix it yourself, or pursue a refund from the company. If you do anything with respect to the vehicle, the company can claim that you were the root cause of the issue or that you already received compensation. Tampering or messing with the item is highly discouraged, and you will need it intact and present to be used as your most important piece of evidence.
Finally, you should get in touch with a product liability lawyer in Los Angeles. If you have no legal experience, you may not be able to succeed with your claim. Our attorneys can represent you while you focus on recovering from your injuries or returning to a normal daily routine.
Product Liability Lawsuit Restitution
Filing a product liability lawsuit can result in a large settlement offer from the insurance company. The insurance agent taking care of the case will look at things like the severity of your injuries, the responsibility you had in the accident, how old you are, the type of career you have, and more. The will then make an offer based on his findings. Often, insurance agents will simply do everything they can to preserve their company’s profits, so they will not make a worthwhile offer at first. We will negotiate until we receive a worthwhile amount. We will strive to win you the following:
You should not be forced to pay off these expenses if the accident happened because Yamaha made a faulty golf car. Our attorneys will gladly fight around the clock to win you every penny you deserve.
Statute of Limitations on a Lawsuit Against Yamaha
California has a 2-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims. If you do not sue within that time period, you will not have the ability to do so in the future. The statute of limitations allows both parties sufficient time to come up with evidence and defenses against one another. It is wise to take action quickly so that all your evidence is properly preserved.
There are a few ways that the statute of limitations can be extended. For example, minors who were injured cannot legally sue, so the statute will not be in effect until they turn 18 years old. Additionally, some victims may have been left incapacitated in some way, whether physically or mentally, after the incident, and as a result, their statutes would be suspended until they return to health. Moreover, the defendant must be present in the state – if he leaves, the statute will be on hold until he returns.
Many individuals simply fail to acknowledge the statute of limitations or become aware of it, leading to missed opportunities to received compensation. You should contact our attorneys to ensure that your documents and claim are submitted on time.
Choosing Our Firm
The Downtown LA Law Group has a history of success with product liability lawsuits and we know the best methods to win your case. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience and will aggressively defend your rights. If we have to go to court to do so, we are willing, and we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients.
For a free legal consultation, call our law offices today. We’ll answer your questions, concerns, and queries, and help you understand what your claim may be worth. If you hire us to represent you, we will also give you our zero fee guarantee. This says that we won’t get paid unless and until we win, and the money will come out of the insurance settlement won from Yamaha. If we lose, we are paid nothing, and you can walk away without owing us a single cent.
To sue Yamaha for injuries from a defective golf car accident, reach out to the Downtown LA Law Group today.