Polaris ATV Owners Properly Denied Class Status in Defect Suit

Polaris Industries Inc. all-terrain vehicle owners were properly barred from proceeding as a class in litigation alleging the company hid a heat-related safety defect, because individual issues would dominate the litigation, the Eighth Circuit affirmed Friday.

Riley Johannessohn and others alleged the ATVs’ exhaust pipes can heat up and cause vehicle components to melt, creating a burn risk and fire hazard.

The plaintiffs said Polaris violated consumer protection laws of six states by failing to disclose the heat problems, which artificially inflated the price. They sought certification of a nationwide class or six state classes of those who purchased certain ...