At first glance, Swainston v. Yamaha Motor Corp. seemed a run-of-the-mill products liability case. A California man nearly lost his leg in 2006 following an accident in an all-terrain vehicle driven by his 14-year-old son. Daniel Swainston sued manufacturer Yamaha, alleging design flaws in the vehicle — a side-by-side model called the Rhino — were to blame for the rollover and his injuries.
Although Swainston sought damages, much more was riding on the outcome when the case went to trial in February 2011; it was a bellwether for some 1,000 Rhino-related claims.
