Ryobi Liable for Fiery Death of 88-Year-Old Mower Rider

Ryobi Technologies must pay $2.5 million to the estate of an 88-year-old man with dementia who was fatally burned while operating a lawn tractor in his backyard (Bilenky v. Ryobi Techs., Inc., 2016 BL 390705, 4th Cir., No. 15-1753, unpublished 11/23/16).

The negligence award to the family of Frank S. Wright was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nov. 23.

The fuel hose detached from the five-year-old riding mower’s fuel tank, causing gasoline to stream out of the fuel hose and ignite, plaintiffs said.

Ryobi argued unsuccessfully that the 2015 jury award should ...