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Meerkat 50 Youth ATV
WARNING REGARDING THE KAZUMA MEERKAT 50 ATV: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the Kazuma Meerkat 50 ATV because the CPSC has determined that it is defective and dangerous. This ATV is marketed to children ages 6 to 11. Kazuma has refused to provide the CPSC with complete incident and injury information. If your child has been injured by a Meerkat 50 ATV and you retain Pritzker | Ruohonen, we will take measures to obtain this information and any other relevant information. You can contact an ATV accident lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation by calling toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or by submitting our online consultation form.
Below is the CPSC warning. Pritzker | Ruohonen is providing it here as a public service.
CPSC Warns Meerkat 50 Youth ATVs Defective and Dangerous
June 5, 2007 -- The staff of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers who own a Kazuma Meerkat 50 Youth All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) that children are at risk of injury or death due to multiple safety defects with this off-road vehicle. The ATVs, which were imported by Kazuma Pacific Inc., of Stafford, Texas, were found to have several serious defects. CPSC staff has determined that the Meerkat 50 lacks front brakes, has no parking brake, is missing a neutral indicator light, and can be started in gear. Additionally, the owner’s manual does not contain complete information on safe operation and maintenance of the ATV.
CPSC staff recommends that consumers stop using the product immediately because it is unsafe. The staff recommends that consumers demand a refund of the purchase price from the importer or dealer due to the defective condition of the ATV. [Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: If a child has been injured on a Kazuma Meerkat 50 that you own, you should contact Pritzker | Ruohonen immediately to speak with an attorney. You should not return the ATV to the importer or a dealer. Call 1-888-377-8900 toll-free. If it is after hours, leave a message with the on-call attorney, and he will get back to you as soon as possible.]
The risk with these ATVs is severe because these vehicles are intended for children age 6 to 11. In many cases, youth riders are just learning how to operate an ATV and may not have the experience necessary to help them avoid hazards associated with this product’s defects.
Kazuma Pacific has refused to provide complete incident or injury information for any of their products. Therefore, CPSC has been unable to determine how many children have been injured. Between December 2006 and May 2007, Kazuma Pacific has impeded CPSC’s efforts to protect the safety of children, by refusing to implement a corrective action plan for this ATV.
Kazuma Pacific has sold at least 2,700 Meerkat 50 ATVs and has stated that they are continuing to sell the units that CPSC staff found to be defective. Kazuma dealers and Web retailers nationwide have sold this ATV since 2003 for between $525 and $825.
CPSC staff is requesting that consumers immediately report any incidents involving the Kazuma Meerkat 50 to the CPSC Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or to the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov.
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Pritzker | Ruohonen Newsletter
Pritzker | Ruohonen is now publishing its newsletters online. Sign up today to receive the newsletter via email. Read our newsletters: Feb/March 2008 and April/May 2008.
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