Segway Lawsuits
July 24th, 2008 • Filed Under: Lawsuits • 2 Comments
A number of reports of product defects and malfunctions involving the Segway personal transporter have resulted in severe and debilitating injury for riders.
STATUS OF SEGWAY LITIGATION: At least 13 people have filed a Segway lawsuit alleging malfunction and product liability lawyers are reviewing potential cases throughout the United States for Segway accidents resulting in serious and permanent injuries.
MANUFACTURER: Segway, Inc.
OVERVIEW: The Segway two-wheel personal transporter was invented by Dean Kamen and first made available to the public in 2003. A revolutionary technology is employed in the Segway which allows the rider to balance on two wheels whether in motion or at rest.
The Segway scooter is controlled through an intelligent network of control systems, mechanical assemblies, propulsion mechanisms and sensors. The sensors and accelerometers are designed to detect changes in terrain and body position, and the dynamic stabilization technology allows the human body to balance on the Segway platform and control the vehicle’s movement through shifts in weight.
SEGWAY RECALLS: In 2003, shortly after they were first introduced, approximately 6,000 Segways were recalled as a result of a defect which caused the personal transporter to stop suddenly when the batteries ran dry.
In 2006, a second Segway recall was issued for about 23,500 vehicles after a software defect was identified which could cause them to suddenly go backwards at a high speed.
SEGWAY SAFETY ISSUES: In addition to the problems addressed by the recalls, a number of isolated software glitches, manufacturing defects and product failures have been reported by users of the Segway scooter. Users have had Segway accidents when their unit stopped suddenly, jerked unexpectedly or failed to properly respond to controls, causing them to lose balance or be get knocked off the scooter.
As a result of the high speeds which the two wheel transporters can achieve, a product defect poses a substantial risk that the ride could cause a serious Segway injury, including:
- Neck and Back Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Fractured Arms or Legs
- Concussions
Pingback by Segway Lawsuit Filed Due to Product Malfunction — AboutLawsuits.com on 24 July 2008:
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Pingback by New York Officer Files Lawsuit over Segway Accident : AboutLawsuits.com on 8 September 2008:
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