On October 31, 2019, John Deere issued a recall for their utility tractors. According to the recall (recall number 20-706), the front cab support bolts were torqued improperly during manufacturing and can fail during a rollover; this poses the risk of crushing injuries to the operator of the utility tractor. Approximately 5,700 units are affected by the recall in the U.S.
The recall specifically involves the John Deere utility tractors (in green and yellow); the recall includes three different models of the tractors, which consist of model 4044R (serial number range 400284 – 401619), model 4052R (serial number range (400381 – 403424), and model 4066R (serial number range (401588 – 407220). All the recalled utility tractors can be identified by their 17-digit serial number which starts with “1LV” and ends in a six-digit number falling within the ranges mentioned above.
The defective utility tractors were sold at John Deere dealers nationwide from October 2016 to September 2019; the utility tractors were sold for $40,000 to $50,000 each. According to the recall, no incidents or injuries have been reported.
The recall suggests that consumers immediately stop using the recalled compact John Deere utility tractors and contact the company (specifically a John Deere dealer) for a free repair. The company is directly contacting all known purchases to facilitate the process.
Have there really been no injuries associated to the defective utility tractors? Although the recall claims that there have been no injuries associated to the recall, it is possible that there are a number of unreported incidents and injuries relevant to the defective utility tractors.
Did you or a member of your family suffer an incident on a John Deere utility tractor? Did the incident result in a rollover? Because of the defect, the rollover could have resulted in crushing injuries to the occupant of the utility trailer. If you or a member of your family suffered crushing injuries associated with the defective product, you should consider the possibility of taking legal action against John Deere. It is of utmost importance that you do not agree to a free repair, but instead seek legal assistance immediately.
Depending on the details surrounding the incident and the harm suffered, it might be possible to pursue a product liability claim. Based on product liability, you might be able to pursue a claim against the company that negligently made the defective product available for purchase. If you would like to learn more about the possibility of pursuing a claim against John Deere for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered, do not hesitate to contact the experts at Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
At Normandie Law Firm, our experts have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims – including product liability claims. The product liability lawyers at Normandie Law Firm are ready to handle your claim and provide you with the guidance necessary for you to hold the liable party accountable for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered. Our lawyers are ready to guide you throughout the legal process and help you recover the compensation that you deserve. If you are ready to discuss your current situation with our attorneys, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.
The Risk Associated with the Defective Utility Tractors
According to the recall, the front cab support bolts were improperly torque in manufacturing, leading to failure during a rollover. The defect poses the risk of crushing injuries to the tractor operator. The structure of the utility tractor is supposed to reduce the risk of injury to occupants in case of an incident. Because of the issue with the support bolts in the front cab, the integrity of the utility tractor’s structure is compromised. Specifically, in a rollover accident, the front cab support bolts can fail. Without the appropriate support, the cab can be crushed – the repeated impacts in a rollover accident could increase the risk of the cab being completely crushed and occupants suffering serious injuries.
Some of the injuries that occupants can suffer as a direct result of the defective utility tractor include the following:
- Back injuries
- Fractured bones
- Head injuries
- Impalement
- Neck injuries
- Organ damage
- Severed limbs/digits
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
Without a doubt, the defective utility tractors could increase the likelihood of the cab being crushed during an accident and the occupant of the tractor suffering crushing injuries. Depending on the specific injuries sustained as a result of the crushing, occupants could be left in coma. Some of the injuries could result in paralysis, including both paraplegia and quadriplegia. In the most severe cases, the occupants of the utility tractors could suffer fatal crushing injuries.
Regardless of the specific harm that you or a member of your family suffered as a result of the defective John Deer compact utility tractors, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible; depending on the details of your claim, you might have grounds to pursue a claim.
The Right to Sue based on Product Liability
Do you have the right to sue for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered because of the defective John Deere utility tractors? Your right to sue is based on product liability. Specifically, all companies have a duty of care towards their consumers. Companies have a duty to ensure that all their products are safe to be used by their consumers. When companies make defective products available for purchase, they are breaching their duty of care towards their consumers. They are also putting their consumers at risk of suffering injuries.
When companies breach their duty of care towards their consumers, they could directly contribute to the harm that their consumers suffer. If a defect in labeling, manufacturing, or design contributes to the harm that a consumer suffered, the company could be held liable for all the harm suffered. If you would like to learn more about your right to sue and premise liability, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers will provide you with all the information that you need to understand your right to sue.
What Should You Do?
You might have noticed that the recall recommended that you contact the company to schedule a free repair for the defective product. However, if you suffered an incident in which the defect directly contributed to the harm that you suffered, following the recommendation set out in the recall could actually hurt your possibilities of filing a successful claim for the harm that you suffered.
Consider the following recommendations:
- Do not agree to a free repair
- Do not agree to a full or partial refund
- Do not return the defective product to the company (or a John Deere dealership)
- Do not attempt to repair the defective product yourself
- Do not tamper with the defective product in any way
Instead, you should do the following:
- Seek immediate medical attention
- Photograph all visible injuries
- Contact the company to report the incident, the defect, and the harm that you suffered
- Speak to witnesses and gather their contact information for future reference
- Seek legal assistance immediately
If you would like to learn more about what you should and should not do after being harmed by a defective product in any way, whether it is the defective utility tractors or any other defective products, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience for the guidance that you need.
Your Right to Recover Compensation
Could you recover any compensation for the harm that you suffered? Depending on the details of your product liability case, you could recover many forms of compensation for the harm that you suffered associated with the defective product. For example, you could recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain/suffering, property damage, loss of consortium, funeral/burial costs, and punitive damages. If you would like to learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive if your product liability claim reaches a successful outcome, do not hesitate to contact our firm as soon as possible.
At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers are dedicated to helping all affected parties (including victims and their families) to recover the maximum amount of compensation available for their claims. Our lawyers will aggressively fight for your right to recover the compensation that you deserve. If you are ready to learn more about the compensation that you could recover, do not hesitate to discuss your claim with our experts today.
How Long Do You Have to Sue?
In general, product liability claims in California are subject to a two-year statute of limitations (deadline to sue). A two-year statute of limitations means that victims and their families only have two years to pursue their claims. However, certain exceptions could apply. Specifically, specific details surrounding the incident and the claim could result in the statute of limitations being tolled for days, weeks, months, and even years. Because you could lose the right to sue if you fail to file your claim on time, it is important that you never make any assumptions and always discuss the applicable statute of limitations with experts. For more information about the statute of limitations that applies to your claim, contact us today.
Contact Our Firm Today
If you were harmed as a result of the defective John Deere utility tractors or any other defective product, it is essential that you seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience. The lawyers at Normandie Law Firm have many years of experience handling all sorts of claims including defective product claims. Our lawyers are committed to holding liable companies accountable for the harm that they negligently cause their consumers.
Our firm is also committed to making sure that all affected parties have access to the appropriate legal representation; therefore, we offer free consultations and free second opinions, during which our experts are available to provide affected parties with all the information that they need to pursue their claims. Our free legal services are available through our Zero-Fee guarantee, which ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. Because of our strict contingency structure, our clients will also have the peace of mind of never having to pay any legal fees until after reaching successful claim outcomes.
Are you ready to allow the product liability experts at our firm to handle your claim against John Deere? If so, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience – we are ready to help you sue John Deere and help you recover the compensation that you deserve.
