Motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson is facing civil action from a couple who claim that their vehicle was not outfitted with appropriate safety mechanisms to protect them from serious injury. The Texas couple say that the defective product caused them to be seriously injured in July 2013, when they lost control of their vehicle during an emergency stop. The couple claim that Harley-Davidson should have installed anti-lock braking systems on the 2012 Electra Glide Classic, which they were riding when they were seriously injured.
The victims are seeking more than $75,000 in civil court damages, according to official reports. They were injured when they were forced to brake hard when a vehicle cut in front of their motorcycle on Texas Highway 271. The driver lost control of the motorcycle because the wheels locked, sending the bike into a fishtail and flinging both victims from the motorcycle. The man suffered a fractured skull, several broken bones and a traumatic brain injury. The woman also suffered a brain injury, along with a shattered elbow and an injury to her spleen.
Harley-Davidson is facing allegations of failure to warn the couple about the defective product. Further, the company is facing allegations of negligence under strict product liability. The couple say that their motorcycle should have been outfitted with additional safety equipment that would have prevented the accident from occurring in the first place.
Product manufacturers have a responsibility to keep their customers safe, no matter the nature of the items they purchase. Victims such as this couple deserve financial compensation for their serious injury because of the shortcomings associated with their vehicle. No motorcycle rider should have to worry about a fatal accident occurring because of a lack of critical safety features.
Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Harley-Davidson sued after couple seriously injured in accident,” June 25, 2014