Jury orders John Deere to pay $5 million for Stillwater man's tractor death

[Steppenwolfe]

I think what you are seeing is a play on words rather than the actual truth.

A tractor is considered ready for use if it has a loader mounted and the means to accept counterwieght prior to use, not nessasary for transport to owners residence. Every function performed with a tractor is to be determined by the user at time of use.
It is a multi function tool that to operate safely needs the operator to read and understand things.

What you are saying is that we need to have a tractor loader set up at the dealer and they would need build it in a manner that we could not take the counterwieght off to use other attachments but rather buy an other tractor with let痴 say a heavy rear cutter and front weights welded in place so we can稚 change it痴 configuration.

No doubt the attorney was smart and focused on the words needed to trick the minds of his uninformed jury. However just like many verdicts before this does not make it right.

Another good point. :thumbsup: I have always wondered how any company that makes chain saws stays in business. Gotta be the #1 widow maker out there.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Another good point. I have always wondered how any company that makes chain saws stays in business. Gotta be the #1 widow maker out there.

I'm guessing more deaths from cigarettes, alcohol and drug abuse though.

 

[groundcover]

Another good point. :thumbsup: I have always wondered how any company that makes chain saws stays in business. Gotta be the #1 widow maker out there.

No kidding, got caught up in a YouTube idiots with chainsaws vortex last night, not everyone should have a chainsaw !

 

[paulfun9]

Another good point. :thumbsup: I have always wondered how any company that makes chain saws stays in business. Gotta be the #1 widow maker out there.

If we look at the lawsuit and compare it to other things most of us own and use we would have empty garages and no toys or tools at and nothing to haul it with if we had something!

Speaking about chainsaws, I have been scared for many people I致e observed operating them over the years and have helped some stay alive when they ripped themselves apart with them even after offering advice just a day or two before. One doesn稚 realize how quickly they can bleed out when they cut certain areas!

 

[paulfun9]

I agree Mike.

I don稚 force myself a refresher often but for those in my family who don稚 run the tractors all the time, they get a refresher course from me or the neighbor before getting on any equipment at all. When I did construction I payed a professional instructor/assessor like wagtail describes to do safety class once a year. Got good insurance breaks for doing so.

 

[chas0218]

I see a lot of the same arguments but maybe Deere will have some sort of liability form if you are purchasing a loader you will also need to purchase loaded tires or include a ballast box that will require the user to fill with appropriate material to ballast the loader. I might be way off but aren't loaders considered a separate entity when buying the tractor? If it is then would all manufacturers of loaders be able to held accountable?

Very slippery slope, in this day and age why blame the operator it's always the inanimate object that causes harm or death.

 

[paulfun9]

Why blame the operator? Because it’s his stupidity!

 

[ovrszd]

I think Chas was saying the same thing Paul.

 

[Industrial Toys]

The way I see it. Having a liability form just gives proof to a jury that you knew there was a very real danger and tried to get out of responsibility.

 

[ovrszd]

The way I see it. Having a liability form just gives proof to a jury that you knew there was a very real danger and tried to get out of responsibility.

I can't ever tell whether you are joking or not. So I guess I'll just assume you always are.