The Yamaha WaveRunner is a popular sight during summer months along waterways of the state and gives off the carefree vibe of summer relaxation. However, this relaxation can quickly turn to terror in the event of a catastrophic WaveRunner accident. If you or a loved one have been injured after a WaveRunner accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries.

Yamaha introduced their newest product, the WaveRunner, in 1986. Since this time, the personal watercraft phase has skyrocketed, along with many different models of the WaveRunner. While the popularity of the Yamaha WaveRunner increased, so did the propensity for product defects and resulting WaveRunner accidents.

The design of the WaveRunner includes a throttle which is often not well described in any product manual. A person new to the WaveRunner will often believe that releasing the throttle during a turn will assist with the steering. However, during off throttle conditions, the WaveRunner becomes difficult or impossible to properly steer, leading to severe accidents. Many new watercraft operators will instinctively back off the throttle when turning the watercraft or attempting to avoid a hazard (as is the common method in traditional motor vehicles), when instead the throttle should remain engaged. The loss of throttle will lead to the total loss of steering, a defect which Yamaha has recognized and has attempted to warn watercraft operators about in their recent owner’s manuals.

In 2011, Yamaha was ordered to pay a settlement fee of $35 million due to a terrible accident caused by the inability to steer the watercraft. In this accident, one teenager lost her life and the other suffered severe injuries after the WaveRunner collided with a boat. Unfortunately, this is a common type of accident and similar WaveRunner accidents occur each summer. While Yamaha has taken pains to correct this error in the manufacturing process, older models of the WaveRunner still exhibit this same issue and inexperienced watercraft operators continue to back off the throttle during turns.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a WaveRunner accident, you may be entitled to bring a claim against the manufacturer or the watercraft operator for your injuries. While Yamaha has recognized this defect in the WaveRunner, the inability to steer the watercraft continues to be an issue for all watercraft operators.

As a victim of a WaveRunner accident, you may seek compensation to cover the following expenses related to the accident:

• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Lost wages
• Future earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship

An experienced watercraft accident attorney will be able to assist you in calculating the total amount of damages you are entitled to receive.

If you or a loved one were injured in a WaveRunner accident, do not hesitate to contact the Malley Law Firm. Tony Malley has years of experience in assisting his clients bring claims after devastating watercraft accidents. Yamaha has recognized the latent defect in the inability to steer the WaveRunner and the manufacturer and operator should be held liable for any injuries you received after an accident. Contact our Texas offices today for your initial free consultation.