LAWSUIT FILED NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT
AUGUST 15, 2023
Carpenter & Zuckerman Files Lawsuit in NY Supreme Court Against Polaris Industries, Inc. for Burn Victim Injured in Polaris RZR Engine Fire
ROCHESTER, NY – Carpenter & Zuckerman attorney John P. Kristensen, co-counsel to The Barnes Firm, P.C. Chief Trial Counsel Richard P. Amico, Esq., on behalf of plaintiff Seth Colangelo, filed a complaint in New York State Supreme Court on August 15, 2023, alleging that the victim suffered severe burns, physical injuries, and other damages when the 2016 Polaris RZR 1000 Turbo vehicle he was operating suddenly ignited.
The lawsuit filed by Mr. Colangelo alleges that Polaris Industries, Inc. (Polaris”) was responsible for the negligent and defective design, testing, manufacturing, selling, inspecting, and marketing of the subject Polaris RZR vehicle that caused his injuries and damages.
Specifically, the complaint lists the following causes of action against the defendants:
- The defendants are strictly liable for causing the plaintiff’s injuries and other damages.
- The defendants had a duty to provide a reasonably safe vehicle to the plaintiff.
- The defendants failed to warn the plaintiff of the dangers and provide information, instructions, and warnings related to the known product defects.
- The defendants failed to issue a recall of the defective product.
- The defendant vehicle seller’s negligence, including failing to properly maintain, inspect, and repair the vehicle, caused the plaintiff’s injuries and other damages.
There are multiple current lawsuits against Polaris for product liability and negligence related to their Polaris UTVs. Polaris has a history of selling UTVs that put consumers’ health and safety at risk due to their negligent manufacturing practices.
Polaris vehicle lawsuits typically fall into one of three categories: Rollover Protection System failures (ROPS) failure cases, which result in severe injury crashes; spontaneous fire cases; and no safety net cases, commonly resulting in severe arm injuries in the event of a vehicle flip or rollover.
- Polaris RZR vehicles have been recalled 10 times for fire hazards from 2013 – 2018.
- Polaris paid a $27.25M penalty for failure to inform the Consumer Product Safety Commission of the known fire hazards.
Mr. Kristensen is currently litigating several product liability lawsuits against Polaris. A highly experienced personal injury attorney, Mr. Kristensen was responsible for a record NHTSA fine against Toyota Motor Corporation. Stay tuned for trial updates as Mr. Kristensen pursues maximum compensation for his injured client.
For more information on lawsuits against Polaris Industries, visit https://atvaccidents.cz.law/.
WHAT: Carpenter & Zuckerman Files Lawsuit Against Polaris Industries, Inc. on Behalf of Burn Victim Injured in Polaris RZR Engine Fire
WHO: Seth Colangelo, Plaintiff
John P. Kristensen of Carpenter & Zuckerman, Partner / Co-Counsel
Richard P. Amico, Esq. of The Barnes Firm, P.C., Chief Trial Counsel
Attorneys
Polaris Industries, Inc.
Polaris Sales, Inc.
Harold Luckner
Defendants
WHEN: Complaint Filed August 15, 2023
WHERE: New York State Supreme Court, Steuben County, NY
3 East Pulteney Square, Bath, NY 14810
