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Hoverboard Use and Injuries on the Rise

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at 844SeeMike.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

This past Christmas, one of the most popular gifts in the U.S. was the interesting innovation in transportation, the “hoverboard.” While it is attracting individuals of all ages, a growing cause for concern is that they are actually marketed toward our youth, and in the last week of 2015 the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the start of an investigation of 22 reports from 17 states that these hoverboards have caught fire both during charging phases and actual use.

Engineers at the CPSC’s National Product Testing and Evaluation Center in Maryland are testing both brand-new and defective hoverboards in search of answers and potential causes of these fires and are especially focused on their battery packs’ configuration and compatibility with the chargers. The hoverboard’s combustible battery has also led to the device being banned from commercial airlines, such as American Airlines and United Airlines, and removed from online retailers such as Amazon.

The CPSC is also concerned with the lack of safety standards for this novel device and has received at least 70 reports of severe injuries requiring emergency-room treatment – including concussions, contusions/abrasions, fractures, and internal organ damage – from falling off its small two-wheeled platform.

“You have a product that doesn’t meet any safety requirements. They are considered toys, but in fact they’re not,” said Sean Kane of the Safety Institute.The CPSC offers some important tips for hoverboard safety until commissions and manufacturers alike can get a closer look at this device and better understand.

How to ensure its safety for consumers:

  • Avoid purchasing a hoverboard online or at a location such as a mall kiosk which may lack information about who is selling it and what person or entity should be contacted if a problem arises.
  • Do not charge the device overnight or at any time when you are unable to observe it.
  • Charge and store the device in a dry and open area away from any combustibles.
  • Never use the device near motorists or lanes of traffic.
  • Wear protective gear when learning to use a hoverboard just as you would on a skateboard or roller-blades, such as a helmet and elbow/knee pads.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to a defective product, contact 844 See Mike for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.

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