Hoverboards in popular science fiction was once imagined as skateboards without wheels. The modern version is a bit different as they are basically scooters without handles that require you to balance yourself. The real truth is probably even far more terrible: hoverboards can be dangerous. It’s not only that you can fall and hurt yourself when you ride them. These things can explode as well.
The dangers of using a hoverboard was allegedly demonstrated once again by a house fire in Riviera Beach, Florida. This fire occurred in the morning of June 22, 2017. The report released by the Riviera Beach Fire Rescue stated that the fire was mostly contained to a single area of the house. One person was hurt when they had to save themselves by jumping through the bedroom window. When there are defective products that essentially explode, one should be compensated for that injury. If you have this issue call our product defect lawyers in San Diego immediately.
What Happened to Cause the Accident?
The fire displaced 10 people in the family who was living in the house at the time, including 8 children. After the fire, the family stayed at a nearby hotel with the expenses covered by the Red Cross.
Cheryl Wade, the resident who was renting the place on Z Terrace, reported to the authorities that her granddaughter had decided to plug her Hoverboard in a bedroom outlet located near the door.
Ten minutes after plugging the device in to charge it, Cheryl heard popping noises from the device. Suddenly the Hoverboard had burst into flames and the fire spread quickly. The people inside the room were trapped because the device was near the door. They could only get out through the window. Cheryl had managed to close the bedroom door, and she believes that this action kept the fire from spreading through the rest of the house.
Cheryl had heard disturbing warnings about the dangers of Hoverboards, but she never thought that such an accident would happen to her and to her family. Actually, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission had recalled more than half a million of these devices because of the possibility of fires caused by the Hoverboards. These recalled products came from 11 different manufacturers.
All these manufacturers made their Hoverboards the same way. These products where powered by lithium-ion batteries that were suspected of being faulty. Some Hoverboards are very expensive, with a models costing as much as $1,500.
But others are much cheaper, with prices as low as $300. One news report claimed that part of the cause was due to factories in China that quickly tried to take advantage of the market trend, without putting in the necessary quality control.
The consequences of Hoverboard explosions and fires can be terrible. The massive recall resulted after a Hoverboard caught fire in a house in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 2016 and killed 2 little girls.
Consumer advocates warn Hoverboard owners to check if their item is part of any recall. Such devices should be turned in because they pose an unreasonable risk.
Legal Options
If you own a Hoverboard, you must be careful. If it has exploded and caught fire, you can consult us so that you can examine what your legal options are. If you or any member of your family has been injured or if your house has burned down, you may be able to file a product defect suit to gain compensation for house damages and medical treatments.