We handle Polaris RZR Fire Cases Nationwide
Polaris Negligence & Litigation
Polaris Negligence & Litigation
Holding Polaris Accountable When Recreation Turns to Tragedy
Since 2011, over 675 Polaris RZR off-road vehicles have erupted in flames, without a crash or rollover. Many more RZR fires have occurred, but as of mid-2025, over 675 total burn downs have occurred on models 900, 1000 and Turbo RZRs without a crash or rollover. These fires ignite so rapidly that passengers often cannot unbuckle their seatbelts and escape before suffering catastrophic burns. Children and adults have died. Families have been shattered.
What makes these tragedies even more devastating is that they were preventable. Polaris knew about the fire risk. Nevertheless, they continued manufacturing vehicles with the same dangerous design for over a decade. The Consumer Productions Safety Commission fined Polaris its historically largest fine of $28 million for failing to report fires.
If you or a loved one has been burned in a Polaris RZR fire, you deserve answers.
The Core Problem: A Dangerous Design
When Polaris introduced the RZR Model 900 in 2011, they made a critical design error. They positioned the extremely hot engine exhaust header to face forward, pointing directly at the passenger back seat. This created a badly ventilated, extremely hot air pocket within inches of leaking/spraying fuel sources that can and have ruptured:
The plastic fuel line
The plastic gas tank under the passenger seat
The plastic fuel pump on top of the gas tank
The fuel rail injector
This "super hot pocket" creates a perfect ignition point... gasoline sprays onto the super hot exhaust header and hot pocket igniting a very rapid fire.
However, despite multiple recalls over a 10 year period, Polaris has never corrected this “extreme hot pocket/header” design in the models 900, 1000 and Turbo RZRs. The recall “fixes” do not eliminate the super hot spot that ignites when fuel sprays.
Worse still, children are particularly vulnerable. Some young burn victims face a lifetime of reconstructive surgeries, physical limitations, and emotional trauma.
History of Corporate Negligence
Polaris was aware of RZR fires as early as 2012, just one year after the Model 900 launch. Despite this knowledge, the company:
•..Continued manufacturing vehicles with the same design.
•..Expanded the forward-facing header design to new, more powerful models.
•..Failed to adequately warn consumers about fire risks.
•..Delayed reporting of fires to federal safety regulator
In 2018, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission levied a civil penalty of $27,250,000 against Polaris (the largest fine in the agency's history at that time) for failing to report fires.
The Scale of the Crisis
By the numbers:
675+
total burndowns (crashless)
of RZR Model 900s, 1000s, and Turbos as of mid-2025 burned without crashes or rollovers
31%
of off-highway vehicle victims
are under age 16 (CPSC data)
May
through
September
are the deadliest months, with summer months averaging roughly double the fatal crashes per month compared to winter
$27.25
million civil penalty
paid to CPSC in 2018
The Minnesota Advantage: Polaris' Home State
Minnesota offers critical advantages for RZR fire victims seeking justice.
•..Polaris Headquarters: Polaris is headquartered in Minnesota, providing jurisdictional advantages and ensuring venue in courts familiar with corporate accountability.
•..No Damage Caps: Minnesota law places no caps or limits on damages in product liability cases. Many states arbitrarily slash jury awards to $250,000 or another fixed limit, even for severely burned victims or families who lost loved ones. Minnesota juries can award full compensation.
•..Favorable Product Liability Laws: Minnesota's legal framework makes it easier for victims to hold large corporations accountable for defective products.
Our Legal Team: Battle-Tested Experience
Brian Wojtalewicz has been on a legal team in lawsuits against Polaris for RZR injuries and deaths and clients from Michigan, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arizona, South Dakota, Nevada, Illinois, Idaho, Utah, California, Kentucky, North Carolina, Washington, Ohio, Montana,
New York, Texas, Wisconsin, and other states.
are past presidents of the Minnesota Association for Justice, earned through years of trial victories, teaching at trial colleges, and leading discovery battles against large corporations.
is Vice President of the Minnesota Association for Justice and is recognized in Best Lawyers for product liability. He has handled international complex product liability cases and is slated to be MNAJ president.
serves on the Board of Governors for the Minnesota Association for Justice and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star.
has litigated catastrophic injury claims for over 12 years, yielding multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. He is a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recipient and Super Lawyers Rising Star.
No other legal team in the United States pursuing RZR fire cases brings this level of legal experience and trial-tested expertise.
Brian, Gary, and Jim are past presidents of the Minnesota Association for Justice “The Trial Lawyers”, earned through years of trial victories, teaching at trial colleges, and leading discovery battles against large corporations.
Cory is Vice President of the Minnesota Association for Justice and is recognized in Best Lawyers for product liability. He has handled international complex product liability cases and is slated to be MNAJ president.
Nick serves on the Board of Governors for the Minnesota Association for Justice and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star.
Brooks has litigated catastrophic injury claims for over 12 years, yielding multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. He is a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recipient and Super Lawyers Rising Star.
Few legal teams in the USA bring this level of trial-tested expertise, and multiple decades of
product liability lawsuits experience to RZR fire cases.
Understanding Your Case
What Causes RZR Fires?
RZR fires typically result from ruptured fuel lines, cracked fuel pumps, fuel rail injector failures, and the fundamental design defect that places fuel components inches from extreme heat.
What Injuries Do Victims Suffer?
RZR fire victims commonly suffer severe burns, burn scarring and disfigurement, smoke inhalation injuries, traumatic brain injuries (from burns sustained as minors), wrongful death, and psychological trauma.
What Compensation Can I Recover?
Victims may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical expenses, reconstructive surgery costs, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement and disability, and wrongful death damages.
Because Minnesota has no damage caps, juries can award compensation that truly reflects the devastating, lifelong impact of severe burn injuries, along with punitive damages to discourage other product makers from behaving in a similar way, where deliberate disregard for the safety of USA citizens is proven. Unlike Minnesota, too many States make it more difficult or impossible to obtain punitive damages against such a manufacturer.
Do I Still Have Time to File?
Every state has a statute of limitations for filing product liability lawsuits, and Minnesota is no exception. If you miss the deadline, you lose your right to seek compensation, no matter how strong your case.
Minnesota’s deadline is six years, but many States have much shorter deadlines, even two years from the injury or death.
Do not wait. Evidence degrades, witnesses' memories fade, and most importantly, you risk losing your legal rights entirely.
Free Consultation |
No Fees Until Recovery
Our legal team works on a contingency fee basis:
•..No upfront costs to you.
•..No fees unless we recover compensation through settlement or judgment
•..Free consultations by phone or Zoom
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Polaris RZR fire, contact us today. We can evaluate your case, explain your legal options, and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
The fires continue. The danger remains. But you don't have to face this alone.
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ATV Fire Lawyers
The legal muscle of Three Law Firms and Highly-Respected Lawyers, Fighting for Burned Riders Nationwide
NOTE on ATV Fire Lawyers:
The ATV Fire Lawyers is a collaboration of Wojtalewicz Law Firm Ltd., Hazelton Law Group, and SiebenCarey Personal Injury Law, independent Minnesota law firms. The ATV Fire Lawyers is not a separate law firm or partnership. Legal services are provided by the participating firms, each of which is licensed to practice law in Minnesota. For questions, contact Brian Wojtalewicz, Wojtalewicz Law Firm Ltd., 139 N Miles St, Appleton, MN 56208, (320) 289-2363.
