Woman Says ATV Driveshaft Scalped Her

SAVANNAH, Ga. (CN) - A woman was scalped and her spine was broken when her hair was caught in the unprotected driveshaft of a Polaris ATV, she says in a federal complaint.

Amber Glisson sued Polaris Industries, claiming that the company failed to protect and warn consumers.

Minnesota-based Polaris manufactures all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, electric vehicles and motorcycles.

Glisson says she was a passenger in a 2009 Polaris Ranger RZR, a side-by-side two-seat ATV, when her hair got caught in the rotating drive shaft that controls the wheels of the ATV.

"While riding in the ATV, with full face helmet buckled on and safety belt strapped, Amber's hair became caught in the unguarded and unprotected rotating drive shaft which is below the passenger seat, the force of which scalped her (medically referred to as a scalp avulsion) and fractured one or more discs of her spine, fractured ribs and caused her other serious bodily injury," the complaint states. (Parentheses in complaint).

Glisson says the vehicle was almost new, in excellent condition, and was being properly used.

She says Polaris failed to warn drivers and passengers about the exposed drive shaft below the passenger compartment.

She claims Polaris sold the unsafe ATV despite having an alternative, safer design, which was used in later models.

Glisson says she incurred more than $400,000 in medical expenses, and was permanently scarred and disfigured.

She seeks compensatory and punitive damages for product liability, failure to warn, negligence, pain, suffering, and medical expenses.

Glisson is represented by Arnold Young with Hunter Maclean Exley & Dunn.

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