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Pennsylvania Hoverboard Accident Kills Child

Posted on March 15, 2017

A 3-year-old girl died over the weekend when a hoverboard caught fire in her home in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission previously recalled 10 different brands of the re-chargeable “self-balancing scooter” in July 2016, after approximately 100 reports of burns and property damage caused by hoverboard fires. The recall affected over 500,000 hoverboards. A spokesperson for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicated that consumers should purchase hoverboards that comply with UL2272, and offered three additional safety tips: 1) do not charge them overnight; 2) do not charge them in an unmonitored location; and, 3) always have a fire extinguisher nearby.

Injuries caused by a product defect can sometimes result in a lawsuit against a manufacturer or seller. Parents whose children were injured should consult an experienced product liability attorney to determine their rights under the law.

Contact us if you have questions or need advice on a particular legal situation.