Reports of Injuries from Hoverboards Pouring In
Maybe you’ve seen young people riding hoverboards in your town. The devices were flying off the shelves during the most recent holiday, but many hoverboard owners have become concerned with the safety of the devices after a rash of reports of hoverboard-related injuries hit the news. Read on to learn more about hoverboard safety concerns and the legal action that victims have begun to take to recover for their injuries.
The name “hoverboard” is a bit misleading—the devices are more accurately known as motorized self-balancing scooters, and are shaped like a horizontal skateboard. The devices are steered by the rider shifting their bodyweight and using the board’s foot pads to accelerate and turn. Manufacturers hold the boards out as being intuitive to use, no matter your athletic ability. However, many users have found them dangerous to ride, and dozens have visited the emergency room for their hoverboard-related injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received complaints from 70 individuals who received sufficiently severe injuries from riding their hoverboards that they were forced to visit the emergency room for treatment, mostly from falls and collisions while using the devices.
In addition to the risks posed by riding the devices, there is significant concern surrounding hoverboards’ tendency to catch fire. So far, the CPSC has received reports of 22 fires started by the devices. The CPSC is now conducting research using hoverboards made by numerous manufacturers to determine whether or not the devices are safe to remain on the market, and Amazon has already pulled the majority of hoverboards from its site. An Alabama couple recently filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for the damage to their home from a fire originating from their hoverboard, and a federal class action lawsuit was filed in New York on behalf of consumers who experienced a fire when their Swagway brand hoverboard combusted. Owners are urged to carefully monitor the devices while they charge, as that is the point at which many of the hoverboards have caught fire. Anyone injured by a dangerous and defective hoverboard is urged to contact a lawyer for assistance in seeking compensation from the manufacturer.
If you have been injured by a hoverboard in or around Birmingham or Mobile and want to pursue a claim for your injuries and medical expenses, contact experienced personal injury attorney Jerome C. Carter for a consultation on your claims, at 251-433-6500.
