Exploding hoverboards may bring product liability claims

When new products for which safety regulations have not been developed yet are introduced to the market, consumers may unknowingly be exposed to dangers that can cause potentially serious personal injuries. Usually, after a recall and some product liability lawsuits, design and manufacture modifications are made to resolve the safety issues. Hoverboards turned out to be extremely popular as gifts this past Christmas nationwide, including here in Texas, and being a brand new product, safety hazards were not identified before the boards were introduced to consumers.

Incidents have already been reported of hoverboards catching fire and even exploding, and it is suspected that the hazard is caused by substandard and faulty lithium ion batteries that are inappropriate for the high powered engines of hoverboards. Some cities have declared hoverboards illegal, and they are banned on some airlines. Official retailers have reportedly removed cheaper brands of hoverboards from their websites.

With the large number of hoverboard sales and the product’s apparent popularity, safety regulations will now be developed. Although authorized retailers will ultimately be able to offer the modified and safer products, cheap versions may still to be imported from other countries and sold on unregulated websites at reduced prices. For this reason, consumers will continue to be at risk of purchasing dangerous hoverboards that may present safety threats.

Texas residents who have suffered injuries that were caused by hoverboards that caught fire or exploded may find comfort knowing that recovery of medical expenses and other losses may be pursued. Product liability claims can be difficult to navigate, and the support and guidance of an experienced product liability attorney may be invaluable. With negligence established, the designer, manufacturer, retailer and others in the supply chain may be held accountable for documented financial losses along with physical and emotional damages caused by the dangerous product.

Source: tech.co, “What Does the Future Have in Store for Hoverboards?“, Scott Huntington, Dec. 28, 2015