Lawn Tractor / Riding Mower Accidents, Rollovers, ROPS Injury Lawyer

Represents individuals and attorneys in Florida and throughout the U.S.

Workers Compensation attorneys never process claims against the manufacturers - Ed does and invites co-counsel and referral relationships. Some of Ed's thoughts on Roll-over Protective Structures (ROPS) follows:

Riding lawnmower operators (landscapers and homeowners) across America are dying needlessly while providing lawn care and property maintenance services at condominium developments, golf courses, parks, farms and behind and private homes.

"Did you know...Manufacturers of riding tractors (“mowers”) have known for more than 30 years that without Roll-over Protection Structure (ROPS), it is virtually impossible to save the life of the operator if the tractor flips over, especially when the mower rolls over into water?" (Download the Riding Mower & Lawn Tractor Safety Flyer)

Rollovers claim approximately 100 lives per year and account for the majority of tractor and riding mower related fatalities. This number is potentially higher because some incidents go unreported. According to a 2009 U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) report, more than 247,000 people are injured while mowing. The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) has also determined that use of ROPS and seat belts is estimated to be 99 percent effective in preventing death or serious injury in an overturn.

Roll-over Protective Structures consist of either a cab or frame / bars that provide a safe zone for the tractor / mower operator in a rollover. ROPS must meet standards set forth by the OSHA for agricultural tractors (CFR 1928.51(a)) or industrial tractors (CFR 1926.1002(j)(2)). While ROPS improve safety, these tractors must also be equipped with seatbelts. Without seatbelts, operators are not confined to the protective zone.

"Since 1976, 5000 workers have died in rollover accidents on tractors that didn't have Rollover Protection Systems (ROPS).  Are you Protected?"  

Here are some conditions where tractor and mower rollovers occur:

• On sloped ground / when operator is mowing on an incline
• When ground has divots, holes, or other hazards that the operator may not see and one of the tractor tires goes into the depressed area
• Along the banks of canals, lakes, ponds and rivers where ground is normally sloped and soft 
• On ground that is swampy or slippery such as clay or mud

When these tractors roll over into water – even as shallow as two and a half feet – the driver is often crushed by the weight of the tractor or is pinned down and unable to get out from under and thus drowns. The NOISH study also revealed that  over 2.4 million tractors/mowers in the U.S. are not retrofitted. Consider that the one time effort of installing ROPS and restraints on a mower or tractor will protect all drivers of the tractor for all the years the tractor is used.

"Of the 4.8 million tractors in the U.S., more than half are not retrofitted. Is your mower or tractor retrofitted?"

Edward M. Ricci, P.A. litigates riding mower and tractor rollover cases throughout Florida and the U.S. We have the experience and resources to effectively seek justice for the families who so desperately need it – many of these who are killed provided the main source of income for their families. Workers’ Compensation alone will not provide for the future wellbeing of the family members.

Every liability claim that Edward M. Ricci, P.A. has handled, we have won multi-million dollar settlements against the manufacturers for failing to make Rollover Protection Structures (ROPS) and restraints standard equipment. We have also won the right to sue for punitive damages in every case we have handled.

To learn more about Lawn Tractor & Mower Accidents & ROPS cases or to receive a complimentary review of a potential case, please contact our law firm online or call us at
561-842-2820. We are happy to answer your questions about ROPS and drowning death cases. For a copy of our Lawn Mower & Lawn Tractor Safety Brochure click for here.

    Or follow our Riding Lawn Tractor Accidents Blog.

 

Pursuing Justice.

For more than three decades, Attorney Edward M. Ricci has specialized in civil trial law. He pursues justice for victims in the areas of lawn tractor / riding mower accidents, ROPS, and drowning-related injuries. The firm serves consumers throughout the United States and Florida including West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Tequesta, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale.