As hoverboards have gained popularity, so have injuries related to their use. Over 26,000 children ended up in hospital emergency rooms from hoverboard injuries during a two-year period, according to research published in 2018. Over 500,000 hoverboards were recalled in 2016 after reports that batteries had burst into flames. However, while there were reports of batteries overheating and bursting into flames, falls were the most common cause of injuries. From 2015 to 2016, there were 26,854 hoverboard injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments. The highest number of injuries from hoverboard accidents occurred in 12-year-old boys. Maryland accident victims may be able to pursue compensation for hoverboard injuries where another party is at fault, including the manufacturer.
According to the research, injuries to the wrist were the most common, followed by those to the forearm and the head. Fractures occurred in 40 percent of cases. The study also found that most hoverboard injuries occurred at home. Hoverboards have a very low center of gravity, which increases the risk of falls, one emergency room physician in New York City stated. He explained that hoverboards require significant core strength to maintain balance.
Hoverboard accident victims may be able to recover damages for their injuries if another person or entity is at fault for the accident, including a negligent driver. In a negligence claim, victims have to prove that a defendant acted negligently in acting or failing to act in some way. A negligence suit must show that a defendant had a legal duty to use due care toward the plaintiff, the defendant failed to meet that duty, the plaintiff suffered damages, and the defendant’s breach of that duty resulted in the plaintiff’s damages. Plaintiffs in negligence cases may able to recover monetary compensation for medical expenses, wage losses, mental suffering, and other damages. Generally, Maryland personal injury claims must be filed within three years of the date of the injury, although the time may be shorter in some instances.