Popular Hoverboards Blamed for Numerous Fires and Injuries
Hoverboards were all the rage this holiday season; despite coming with a hefty price tag of anywhere from $300 to $900, the motorized, self-balancing scooters were one of 2015’s most popular holiday gifts. Now that the boards have been unwrapped, and recipients (and their parents) have begun learning how to ride them, the reports of hoverboard-related injuries have begun to pour in.
Hoverboards operate not by hovering, but by the rider shifting his or her weight on the device’s footpads to accelerate, roll backwards, or turn in alternate directions. Traveling at maximum speeds of 12 to 15 miles per hour, hoverboards can move at quite a clip, which also means that riders can be at substantial risk of injury from riding the scooters. Many unwary riders have taken nasty spills while riding hoverboards, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that it has received 70 reports of emergency room visits brought about by hoverboard-related injuries. One emergency room doctor said that, within only a day and a half after Christmas, he had seen seven individuals with fractures caused by hoverboard collisions or falls. Many incur injuries to the hands, wrists, and arms when attempting to catch themselves when they fall from a hoverboard, but the impact can radiate up through the arm to cause pain in the neck and shoulder of fall victims, as well.
Users are warned not only of the risk of falling from hoverboards, but also of the risk of fires started by hoverboards. Retailers such as Amazon have all but entirely pulled the devices from their shelves, in order to avoid any future liability for injuries caused by hoverboards to purchasers. Currently, over 60 airlines refuse to allow hoverboards to be transported in their aircraft, either as carry-on luggage or in checked baggage, due to the risk that the lithium-ion batteries used in the boards will explode or catch fire. In the UK, all hoverboards available for sale were recalled earlier this winter after safety authorities received numerous reports of fires started by charging hoverboards, and one report of a woman burned by a hoverboard that caught fire while she was riding it. The CPSC is currently conducting research on different models of hoverboard to determine their safety, and is investigating 22 reports of fires started by hoverboards across the US. Owners of hoverboards are cautioned to keep a close eye on the devices to ensure they don’t overheat or spark, especially while the devices are charging.
If you or someone you love has been hurt while riding or charging a hoverboard, contact the experienced and knowledgeable Wayne personal injury lawyers at Massood Law Group for a consultation on your possible lawsuit, at 1-844-4MB-HURT.
