Hoverboard Recalls & Preventing Future Injuries

Both young kids and adults enjoy the challenge of trying to balance themselves and move about on hoverboards. However, these motorized skateboards can pose serious injury hazards to riders, and in unfortunate cases, you may need the assistance of a product injury lawyer if accidents occur or if they catch fire under certain circumstances.

During July of 2016, news agencies reported that over 500,000 hoverboards were recalled by the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The boards made by ten separate companies are involved, including those manufactured and sold by Swagway and Keenford. Consumers who have recently purchased hoverboards should contact their manufacturers to find out if they are part of this massive recall. Failing to take this measure could cause you to suffer future serious injuries – or your children and other family members. If you have been injured by a defective hoverboard, it’s crucial to consult with a defective device lawyer to understand your legal rights and options.

Common Injuries and Damages Sustained in Hoverboard Accidents

Texas doctors are now reporting an increase in the number of emergency room visits made by people injured while riding these boards. Many of them have suffered both concussions and wrist fractures after falling off the boards. Others are incurring severe knee and leg cuts and various types of abrasions.

Property damage has also become a common problem since the lithium-ion batteries that power hoverboards can catch on fire, especially while they’re being recharged.  A CBS DFW News report published on February 2, 2016, stated that a fire in a San Antonio River Walk hotel was caused by a hoverboard that caught on fire. Another similar incident occurred in a Houston-area shopping mall during recent months. These incidents usually happen while the lithium-ion battery is recharged.

More Businesses, Colleges and Public Gathering Areas May Outlaw Hoverboard Use

Some airline carriers are forbidding people to bring hoverboards onto planes, and many college campuses are advising students to leave their hoverboards at home. Given the many serious accidents now happening to hoverboard riders, we’re likely to see soon shopping malls and other public gathering places forbidding people from even bringing these boards onto their properties. The fire dangers, which can easily cause a building or house to be burned down, have prompted some individuals to seek assistance from a burn injury lawyer.

Best Ways to Prevent Hoverboard Injuries

• Always wear a helmet, even when riding indoors. Once you lose your balance on a hoverboard, you’re very likely to hit your head upon falling;
• Consider wearing knee and elbow pads. While you may think you look a bit foolish, you’ll appreciate the extra padding if you land on these body parts after falling;
• To prevent a hoverboard fire, sit close by while the board is recharging. Since the lithium-ion batteries are most likely to catch fire while the board is recharging, this is an important way to protect yourself and others from harm. Of course, you need to check immediately to see if your hoverboard is under recall – and repeat such online research every few months.

Some Hoverboard Injuries Can Land You in a Hospital ICU

Back in December of 2015, an Austin-area resident named Robert Maker sustained such serious injuries while visiting Florida that he had to be moved into a hospital’s ICU. His fall off his hoverboard caused him to sustain a whiplash injury to his head when it hit the pavement. He then began bleeding from his ear – and became unconscious. Since Mr. Maker was a very experienced hoverboard rider – many more Texans are now aware of the truly serious dangers posed by these fun — yet potentially deadly motorized skateboards.