In a front-page article, the Wall Street Journal (11/4, A1, Trottman, Conkey) reports that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating the Yamaha Rhino off-road vehicle "following reports of some 30 deaths," and "Yamaha faces more than 200 lawsuits in state and federal courts, many alleging the Rhino's design is unsafe."
While "Yamaha has settled some," it "recently beefed up its defense and says it may start to fight rather than settle." According to Yamaha, "plaintiffs' lawyers 'have seized on safety and product enhancements that Yamaha has made to the Rhino to allege baseless claims about the stability of the vehicles.'" The company added that "many injury claims...stem from improper operation, modifications such as removing the protective 'roll cage,' or failure to use a helmet and seat belt." Meanwhile, "some plaintiffs' lawyers allege that Yamaha failed to report Rhino problems to the CPSC as early as it should have."