PRODUCT LIABILITY

Riding Mowers  
When a person uses a product, whether it is a motor vehicle or lawn tractor, he or she expects that the product has been designed in a reasonable manner.  Unfortunately, this assumption is not always correct.  Oftentimes products placed on the market have hidden dangers and defects which result in serious injuries and sometimes fatal results.  In product liability cases, the issue is whether or not the product was designed with "State of the Art" safety devices to protect the users and innocent bystanders from injuries.    
  
In conjunction with nationally-renowned expert Jerry Rosenbluth, Wayne Howard, Esq. and Michael Trauscht, Esq. have successfully challenged a number of products over the years, including defective seatbelts, unsafe tow hitches and other products.  Recently, they have been active in placing together a team to proceed with what they consider a travesty to the public riding lawn tractors that mow in reverse without appropriate safety devices.  Each year hundreds of individuals (mostly children) are seriously hurt and maimed as a result of riding lawn tractors.  Mowers are often placed in reverse without the driver realizing a child is behind the mower.  Since the blades do not stop rotating when the mower is placed in reverse, and the driver is not aware of a child behind the mower, many children are run over each year.  Injuries range from the loss of a toe to degloving injuries, amputations, skull fractures and brain injuries.  
 
Lawn mowers have the inherent capability to do catastrophic harm.  Manufacturers and dealers should not only properly inform the consumer of this inherent danger but also take the necessary steps to address the problem and reduce the danger.  It has been over a quarter of a century since the power mower industry has been aware of the catastrophic injuries associated with backing over young children while riding power lawn tractors, yet very little and in most cases nothing has been done by manufacturers to correct the problem.  Mr. Rosenbluth has successfully devised a simple item at a cost of less than $5.00 which disengages the power mower before it backs up and stops the blade within 3 seconds or less.  
  
It is estimated that each year 300-400 children are run over causing severe injuries and sometimes death, yet most manufacturers around the country have not taken the time or energy to correct the inherent problem.  This is clearly a serious disregard for the safety of the customers.  We intend to help the victims and other consumers urge manufacturers to correct this hazard without further delay.
 
Mr. Trauscht  has obtained settlements in the one million dollar plus range over the past 20 years in such areas as product liability, head injuries, aviation accidents, and personal injuries generally.