Hoverboard Starts Deadly House Fire

Hoverboards have been wildly popular since their release in 2015, but they’re also proving to be wildly dangerous. Both a three-year-old and ten-year-old girl in Harrisburg were the tragic victims of a fatal fire started by a hoverboard charging on the first floor of a row house. Another girl who had been in critical condition has been released from the hospital. The victims’ father and a young boy had been treated for smoke inhalation. In a related, terrible traffic accident, a fire lieutenant was killed as he rushed to the scene to help put out the fire.

Why Do Hoverboards Explode

These self-balancing scooters are battery powered, and their batteries can overheat and catch fire or explode like the one in Harrisburg did. The family said it heard crackling and sizzling right before the incident.

Lithium-ion batteries are a growing concern, as they’ve been implicated in fires involving cell phones and other wireless devices. Their inner workings contain an anode, a cathode, an organic liquid, and a separator. Lithium flows between the parts. The problem is that they’re very temperamental, and if the process is thrown off or if the battery heats up too quickly, then a fire and an explosion can result.

Product Recalls

It is unknown whether the hoverboard in this fire was one of the recalled models. Ten companies have issued recalls, with some offering replacement batteries and others offering refunds for over 500,000 hoverboards. More information can be found through the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Recommendations for Hoverboard Owners

If you’d still like to purchase a hoverboard, the following recommendations have been made by acting commission chairperson of the CPSC, Ann Marie Buerkle:

Consumers should buy a model that follows the “Underwriters Laboratory’s safety standard, known as UL2272,” indicating that it’s made to prevent electrical components and the battery from overheating and bursting into flames. Other pointers are as follows:

• Don’t charge them overnight
• Do not charge them in unattended areas
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby

And we’d like to add, completing any paperwork to register your toys and vehicles will allow manufacturers to notify you in case of a recall.

Product Liability and Human Harm

In February 2016, a hoverboard was blamed for a fire that destroyed a million dollar home. To quote the mother in that hoverboard fire, “The fact that a toy caused this kind of destruction . . . is just wrong”. This is why product liability laws exist. There are controls in place to hold companies responsible if their products hurt the public.

If you have been hurt by any product, you may have a good chance at compensation for your physical or emotional injuries. If you’ve been hurt by a product that is recalled, you have an especially good case.

Greenstein & Milbauer has in-depth experience with both product liability cases and personal injury law. Contact us today to find out how our experience with these kinds of cases leads to higher financial awards. Complete the form below or call 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) for a free consultation.

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Popular Rifle the Target of Defective Product Claims

Could one of the most popular rifles produced and sold in the Unites States have a defect that causes it to fire without the trigger being pulled? Evidence suggests that this might be the case. In February, after thousands of customer complaints and years of denials, a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer moved another step forward.

Ten state attorneys general also publicly expressed their opinion, writing to the judge that they believe the manufacturer knew or should have known that these guns were defective but continued to make and sell them. Up to 7.5 million of these potentially defective rifles are now in the hands of consumers.

 

Problem Suspected for Decades

The gun in question is the Model 700 rifle from Remington, which has been in production in one form or another since 1962. Internal documents show that Remington’s own tests found problems with the rifle’s trigger mechanism as early as 1975, and they considered a recall by 1979. Yet nothing was done until legal action pushed the company to reach a settlement at the end of 2014.

In the years before the settlement, the company received thousands of complaints, including some from law enforcement customers, and the misfiring trigger was blamed for more than twenty deaths and hundreds of injuries. The company reached settlements with some owners, including a $17 million payout to a gun owner who was accidentally shot in the foot and required an amputation. More than 150 lawsuits are known to have been filed over injuries and deaths blamed on the Model 700’s trigger.

 

Trigger Recalled

The original trigger mechanism—which even its designer worried was less safe than it could have been—was replaced in 2006. But the replacement trigger was also criticized, and Remington discovered that it could fire on its own up to 40 percent of the time in cold conditions, leading to a voluntary recall of 1.3 million rifles.

Critics argue, however, that Remington has done little to promote or execute the recall and has never admitted any problem with the trigger mechanism, in part because the total cost of replacement could be close to half a billion dollars.

 

Settlement Rejection Possible

The tiny number of rifles that have actually been repaired—roughly 22,000 of the 7.5 million made—has put the status of the class action against Remington over the Model 700 in limbo. The judge in the case has expressed concerns that the implementation of the proposed settlement has been too lenient. That small number of repairs means that an agreement anticipated to provide nearly $500 million in remedies has only cost the company “a very small payment . . . less than $3 million” says the judge. He’s expected to issue a ruling on whether the settlement is acceptable or if the class action should proceed to trial within a few weeks.

 

New York City Product Liability Lawyer

Any product can turn out to be defective, but responsible manufacturers act quickly to remove dangerous items from the marketplace. When a manufacturer doesn’t act, the government can step in to force a recall. When a known dangerous product is sold, affected consumers can turn to the legal system to force accountability on and win compensation from the negligent parties.

Guns have special status compared to other products, and they can only be recalled voluntarily—not by the government. However, a product liability suit can still be filed. If you or someone close to you has been harmed by a product with a defect in its design or manufacture, get in touch with someone who understands defective product law. Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP has experience with this type of case and offers a free consultation to all new clients. Call us at 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or contact us online through the form on this page to learn more.

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