CPSC: Every Hoverboard on the Market Today May Be Unsafe

When the media caught wind of the dangers of hoverboards last fall, safety advocates everywhere were hopeful that the national attention would protect at least a few consumers and families from personal injury and serious property damage. While some injuries may have been prevented, some alarming numbers from the Consumer Product Safety Commission make it difficult to be optimistic about how seriously the public has taken previous hoverboard warnings.

How Dangerous are Hoverboards?

According to the CPSC, consumers have reported 52 hoverboard fires since December 2015, including fires that have destroyed homes, an automobile, and other property totaling $2 million. This report does not even include injuries reported as the result of falls and non-fire malfunctions. With so many fires—and so much quantifiable damage—reported in such a short time, hoverboard personal injury lawsuits are already being filed throughout the country.

Most Hoverboards on the Market Do Not Meet CPSC Safety Standards

The last time this blog discussed hoverboards, we told you that there were no safety standards in place to ensure safer devices. The good news is that, since then, the CPSC has developed product safety standards covering hoverboards and has requested that retailers ensure all available hoverboards meet the new standards. The bad news, however, is that there is reportedly little, if any, expectation that there are any units on the market today that meet the CPSC’s new standards. Even top-selling hoverboard brands like Swagway are urging consumers to stop using their devices as it appears that no device meets the CPSC specifications.

Hoverboard Fire Claims Should Be Reviewed by an Ohio Product Liability Lawyer

Anyone unconvinced about the severity of the dangers posed by hoverboards is invited to read the account of one family’s loss here. Hoverboard manufacturers have produced one of the most deceptively dangerous products on the market today, and their cost-cutting tactics have left consumers exposed to the possibility of deadly home fires and burn injuries. If you or a loved one were injured as the result of a hoverboard fire or malfunction, contact an Ohio product liability lawyer at Lowe Scott Fisher Co., LPA for a free consultation.