Regulators Come Up with New Safety Guidelines for Hoverboards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is banning the manufacturing, importing, distribution and sale of hoverboards until they meet new guidelines created by product safety experts at Underwriters Laboratory. According to a Fox 40 news report, the move comes from several reports from consumers of exploding hoverboards or hoverboards that catch fire. This happens because of cheap construction or substandard parts in the hoverboards, which were high on many Christmas wish lists in 2015.

Serious Injuries Reported

The article gives the example of an Orville mom, Kisha Loomis, whose bedroom went up in flames on New Year’s Eve after a hoverboard left charging on the floor blew up. She  said the pieces started flying off and caused several items in the bedroom to ignite. Loomis also suffered burn injuries. But Loomis wasn’t alone. Between Dec. 1, 2015 and February 17, 2016, CPSC got reports of 52 hoverboard fires, which resulted in approximately $2 million in property damage. Since August 2015, CPSC has reported 7,200 hoverboard-related injuries that required emergency attention. Of these 46 percent were fractures and 19 percent were sprains or strains.

Safety Standards

Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is now tasked with checking and certifying these hoverboards. Experts with the lab say the reason we have a problem with hoverboards is because these novelty products flooded the market so quickly that manufacturers were able to bypass the safety certification process. However, that is now changing with the CPSC’s new guidelines. UL experts have come up with new regulations to make sure all the parts of the board are working together properly. Until hoverboards get the stamp of approval from the lab, the gadgets cannot be sold anywhere. Large retailers including Wal-Mart, which pulled hoverboards off its shelves after reports of the explosions, have gotten behind the CPSC’s news guidelines.

If You Have Been Injured

If you or a loved one has been injured in a hoverboard explosion or fire, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages including but not limited to medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims may be able to file product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of these defective products and accessories and hold them accountable for their losses.