Hoverboard Accidents and Injuries
The popular electric-powered self-balancing scooters known as hoverboards were a favorite toy for the 2015 holiday season. Contrary to their nickname, hoverboards do not actually hover, but many find the sensation they provide of hovering to be quite fun. Unfortunately, hoverboards can also be very dangerous. They are difficult to use, causing many people to fall, and there have also been reports of them catching fire.
Falling Injuries
Riding a hoverboard takes some superior balancing skills. Riders often fall, resulting in stitches, head injuries, and broken bones. Those who are riding hoverboards should be sure to wear a helmet, along with other protective padding, in case of accidents. They should also make sure that someone else is around in case there is an accident and the hoverboard rider needs help.
Fire Hazard
In addition to the risk of falling, there have been reports of hoverboards catching fire. A hoverboard in Gaithersburg, Maryland sparked a house fire in December. While it was charging, the board caught fire and rolled toward a bed, igniting the mattress and bedding. Fire officials in Montgomery County issued a warning about the hazards of hoverboards.
In Louisiana, an entire house burned down, reportedly because of a hoverboard fire. Consumers have also reported hoverboards catching fire while being ridden. Several airlines have banned them in both carry-on and checked baggage, and Amazon has pulled some brands from its site.
If you have a hoverboard, never leave it charging while unattended. The fires may be due to manufacturers using rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that have been known to overheat and are sometimes not compatible with the charging mechanism. Some consumer safety experts have stated that when riders bump into walls or other objects, this damages the lithium-ion battery and makes it more likely to catch fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has begun to investigate whether the defective batteries have caused the fires.
Products Liability Lawsuits
Those who have been injured by a hoverboard may have the basis for a product liability personal injury suit. In order to prove product liability, the victim need not prove the manufacturer’s negligence.
Instead, the manufacturer will be strictly liable for the injuries, as long as the victim can prove that:
●The product was defective when it left the manufacturer’s control;
●No substantial changes were made to the product before it reached the consumer;
●A defect made the product unreasonably dangerous; and
●The defect caused the injuries.
In Maryland, there are three types of a product defect:
●Design defects;
●Manufacturing defects; and
●Marketing defects.
Design defects occur when a product is designed in such a way that it is inherently dangerous to use. A product has a manufacturing defect when it is manufactured not in accordance with the design, and the defect makes it unsafe. Marketing defects include when a product does not include adequate instructions for use or the appropriate safety warnings.
Charles County, MD Personal Injury Lawyers that Fight for You
If you have been injured by a hoverboard or another defective product, an attorney can help you recover damages. Please call us at the Law Office of Robert R. Castro, at 301-804-2312, for a free consultation.
