The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a massive nationwide recall for self-balancing scooters, also known as hoverboards, due to a fire hazard risk caused by lithium ion battery packs, which are used to power the machines. The battery packs have a high risk of overheating, which can cause the products to start smoking, catch fire, and/or explode. There have been countless reports of battery packs overheating, sparking, smoking, catching fire and/or exploding including reports of burn injuries and property damage.
Multiple accounts of the devices catching fire and blowing up have been reported around the country. There have been multiple reports of emergency room injuries related to hoverboards, with at least a dozen fires in nine (9) states under investigation as of the end of 2015. Last year, the country’s three largest airlines (Delta, United and American), prohibited hoverboards on their flights due to the established fire hazard. The online retailer Amazon has pulled some models from its website, and began offering refunds to customers who purchased a hoverboard through their site. The U.S. Department of Transportation followed suit issuing a safety alert, saying that even carrying the devices on public transport is a safety hazard and illegal.
Emergency rooms, urgent care centers and specialists nationwide are reportedly overloaded with people suffering from hoverboard-related injuries. Victims of exploding hoverboards have not been limited to a single demographic or age group. Recently, a local emergency department reported a 10 year old victim, as well as a victim in his mid-thirties and a woman in her fifties.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking at the entire line of hoverboard products. According to the CPSC, “There aren’t any standards for these products”. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recommended consumers immediately stop using these recalled products and contact the recalling company. Safety Commission chairman, Elliot Kaye further declared “All of the hoverboard models included in this recall were made with fundamental design flaws that put people at real risk. They were made and sold without a safety standard in place.”
While charging, experts urge consumers to never leave a hoverboard unattended while charging. Further, fire safety experts advise to inspect the hoverboard while charging. If you notice the device is very hot, it may be an early indication of a faulty battery.
Hodes Milman has assisted clients who have been injured by a faulty hoverboard. The attorneys at Hodes Milman have also been consulted by other attorneys representing injured parties by these inherently dangerous machines. If you or a loved one have been severely burned, or suffered from property damage or other personal injury caused by your hoverboard, the law firm of Hodes Milman can provide you with the assistance you need. Contact us today online at www.HML.Law or call (949) 640-8222 for a free case consultation.
