Segway-Ninebot Lawsuit Filed After Sudden Stop Threw Rider, Causing Arm Fracture

Lawsuit claims the fall resulted in severe injury, lasting pain, reduced mobility and long-term limitations on daily activities.

A Kansas man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging that a self-balancing Segway-Ninebot electric scooter purchased on Amazon.com suddenly shut down without warning, throwing him onto the pavement and causing severe, permanent injuries to his arm.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Timothy Current in the U.S. District Court of Kansas on February 4, naming Amazon.com Sales Inc., other Amazon-related entities, Segway Inc., Ninebot Inc. and related corporate affiliates as defendants.

Segway-Ninebot scooters are a kind of self-balancing electric scooter, which use gyroscopes, sensors and electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries to keep riders upright and moving based on body position and speed inputs. Marketed for recreational and short-distance transportation use, they are designed to operate at speeds exceeding 8 mph, with manufacturers promoting built-in safety features and rider assistance systems.

However, in recent years, some personal motorized devices have faced increased scrutiny, with attorneys investigating a growing number of lawsuits involving design defects associated with OneWheel devices and similar products.

These OneWheel accident lawsuits allege that the electric skateboards are prone to suddenly nosedive and stop, causing users to be thrown from the device and suffer serious and even life-threatening injuries.

In this last lawsuit against Amazon and Segway, Current indicates that he purchased a Ninebot S Smart Self-Balancing Electric Scooter through the retailers online marketplace in June 2021, with the product shipped to his home in Gardner, Kansas. The lawsuit claims that while riding the device in his neighborhood on February 6, 2024, the scooter abruptly came to a rapid and complete stop, ejecting him onto the asphalt.

The incident allegedly occurred on a flat, dry residential street with no obstacles or adverse weather conditions. Current says he was riding the scooter as intended, traveling at more than 8 mph, and complying with all instructions provided in the product’s manual at the time of the crash. The complaint further maintains that the scooter had been properly maintained, stored and never altered, misused or abused.

As a result of the fall, Current claims he suffered multiple fractures to his arm and elbow, including a serious open intra-articular distal humerus fracture that required surgical repair using three titanium plates and 22 screws. He states that the injuries have caused ongoing pain, limited mobility and a reduced ability to engage in normal daily activities.

“At the time it was placed into the stream of commerce by defendants, the Segway was defective and unreasonably dangerous to an extent beyond which would be contemplated by the ordinary consumer who purchased it, with the ordinary knowledge common to the community as to its characteristics.”

— Timothy Current v. Amazon.com Sales Inc. et al

Current raises allegations of strict liability, negligence and violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. He is seeking damages in excess of $75,000 for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and other related losses.

OneWheel Lawsuits

Similar complaints to Current’s Segway-Ninebot lawsuit have been filed against OneWheel and its manufacturer, Future Motion, over that product’s propensity to throw riders from the device as well.

OneWheels are a kind of self-balancing electric skateboard that consist of a single wheel, which is powered by gyroscopes and a battery-driven motor like the Segway-Ninebot, and are capable of reaching speeds up to 20 miles per hour.

However, since entering the market, OneWheels have been linked to a rising number of accidents that have been attributed to the products’ “pushback” feature, which is designed to alert riders when they are nearing operational limits. Lawsuits claim that rather than the pushback feature slowly lifting the front end to slow the device down, OneWheels will suddenly shut off and nosedive, ejecting the rider off of the device, resulting in fractures, injuries, traumatic brain injuries and even deaths.

OneWheel riders who have been injured due to the product’s alleged defective design, malfunction or lack of proper warnings may be entitled to compensation. Attorneys representing OneWheel injury and wrongful death claims provide free evaluations and consultations. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained in the case.

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