Go Kart Victim Sues Manufacturer For Damages

(CBS4) OPA-LOCKA Johnny Cooper will never forget the day he went to try out his brand new go kart. Even if he wanted to forget, he is reminded every time he looks at his disfigured hand."

"Of course, the ring finger is gone,” said Cooper.

Johnny Cooper lost his finger and he says his livelihood as well. On October 10, 2005, his blue carter talon gx150 2r go kart rolled over on its maiden run.

Cooper had bought the $2,000-dollar dune buggy for his 12-year-old daughter, who was driving when it suddenly rolled over in a field near Opa Locka Airport.

"As I got out off, she took her helmet off and started screaming hysterically,” said Cooper. “I looked down and saw the bone sticking out of my right pinky, my heart beat as blood skeeted out"

Cooper and his Coral Gables attorney are suing the go kart's manufacturer, "Carter Brothers", claiming the go kart was improperly designed and defective.

"The sad part is it could have been avoided,” said attorney Spencer Aronfeld. "Essentially what happens is when you turn the steering wheel as his daughter was doing, the wheel hits the frame causing it to stop suddenly and flip over."

Aronfeld went on to say the go kart had no warnings about the possibility of a rollover accident. The lawsuit also points out it does not have a speedometer.

"It says it shouldn’t be driven at excessive speeds, but there's no speedometer, and for four dollars, they could have told the driver how fast he's going,” said Aronfeld.

Cooper says he wants to warn others about the dangers of go karts in general, and about the alleged danger with this particular model. The father of four used to work at the family roofing business in Carol City, but says he can no longer do his old job.

"I can't pick up wood, I can’t grab a hammer, I can’t use a nail gun,” said Cooper. "It's like I paid for them to devastate my life and my kids and family for the rest of our lives."

CBS-4’s Ileana Varela attempted to contact the maker of the go kart for a comment, but they have not returned her calls.