Onewheel Lawsuit

Is There a Future Motion Onewheel Lawsuit?

Yes, Onewheel lawsuits are being investigated by lawyers. The lawsuits claim that Future Motion prioritized profits over customer safety by falsely advertising their electric skateboard models as safe, while knowing the devices contained a dangerous and defective design that has caused hundreds of nosedive accidents resulting in injuries and deaths.

Who Qualifies For a Onewheel Lawsuit?

Financial compensation may be available through a Onewheel lawsuit for individuals who used any model of Future Motion Onewheel devices and suffered any of the following injuries:

• Fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Broken Teeth
• Surgery
• Wrongful Death
• Other serious injuries

Onewheel Models Named In Lawsuits

All models of Future Motion’s Onewheel skateboards can put riders at risk of death and injuries:

• Onewheel®
• Onewheel+®
• Onewheel+ XR®
• Onewheel Pint®
• Onewheel Pint X®
• Onewheel GT®

To determine if you or a loved one may have a case, submit information for review by a Onewheel injury lawyer, who will help evaluate the circumstances and determine if you qualify for a claim. Attorneys handle all Onewheel injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no fees or expenses paid unless a settlement or lawsuit payout is received.

2024 Onewheel Recall Lawsuit Updates

May 1, 2024 Update: In a court order issued on April 11, Judge Freeman indicated that a series of OneWheel lawsuit settlement conferences will be held in coming months before Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler. The order calls for a pre-settlement conference to be held on June 27, followed by an initial settlement conference on August 13 and a second settlement conference on October 1.

January 1, 2024 Update: Last month, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) ordered the creation of a Onewheel multidistrict litigation (MDL), consolidating all of the injury claims before U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman in the Northern District of California for coordinated pretrial proceedings. The parties met with the Judge for the first time on January 18, during which Judge Freeman appointed some Onewheel recall lawsuit plaintiffs’ attorneys to temporary leadership positions.

October 2, 2023 Update: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a Onewheel recall on September 29, 2023, warning that all Onewheel models pose an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, leading to calls for owners of the electric skateboards to stop using the devices immediately.

September 1, 2023 Update: With at least 31 Onewheel lawsuits filed against the manufacturer as of late August, Future Motion filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) September 1, 2023, requesting all Onewheel lawsuits to be consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida for coordinated pretrial proceedings.

November 18, 2022 Update: The CPSC issued a Onewheel accident warning on November 16, 2022, indicating that at least four deaths have been linked to Onewheel nosedive accidents after the riders were ejected from the boards when the device suddenly stopped or shut down.

Onewheel Lawsuit Overview

Launched by Future Motion in 2014, the Onewheel quickly became popular across the U.S. as a leisure activity but also as an urban commuting solution. The Onewheel is a self-balancing electric skateboard that consists of a singular wheel that is powered by gyroscopes and a battery-driven motor, enabling speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. To operate, riders step onto the rear footpad and lean forward. Acceleration is achieved by leaning forward and deceleration by leaning backward, while directional changes are made by pressing with the toes or heels.

Since entering the market, the devices have been linked to a rising number of Onewheel accidents that have been attributed to its pushback feature, which is designed to alert riders when they’re nearing the device’s operational limits. These limitations creating pushback can be caused by a number of factors including weight of the rider, tire pressure, wind direction, battery power levels, the posture of the rider, and the terrain’s slope, whether uphill or downhill.

Lawsuits claim that rather than the device’s pushback feature slowly lifting the front end to slow the device down, the Onewheels will suddenly shut off and nosedive, ejecting the rider off of the device, which has resulted in fractures, injuries, traumatic brain injuries and multiple fatalities of riders.

Onewheel Design Defects And Failure To Warn

Lawsuits claim that the pushback feature is an unreasonable dangerous design, and could have been easily configured to give off an audible warning through a beep or tone in the event of excessive speed, overcharging, or low battery, or that Onewheels could have been designed to simply slow down in the presence of these situations.

Rather, the Onewheel skateboards were designed to stop abruptly and potentially nosedive while riders are at speeds upward of 20 miles per hour, or more.

Of the dozens of lawsuits filed against Future Motion so far, many of the common allegations raised in the claims have included;

• The Onewheel and Onewheel+ XR models contain design and manufacturing defects that can cause riders to lose their balance or nosedive into the ground;
• Future Motion failed to properly warn consumers about these defects and the risk of potential injury; and
• The company was aware of these risks but downplayed their significance in order to avoid issuing a OneWheel recall and convince consumers that their product was safe for use.

2023 Onewheel Recall Over Crash Risks

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a Onewheel recall on September 29, 2023, declaring the controversial pushback feature of the devices a crash hazard, and warning customers to stop using the recalled electric skateboards immediately.

Roughly 300,000 Onewheel boards sold by Future Motion from January 2014 through September 2023 are impacted by the recall, including Onewheel, Onewheel+, Onewheel+XR, Onewheel Pint, Onewheel Pint X and Onewheel GT models.

Officials stated the manufacturer is now cooperating with the agency following a November 2022 Onewheel warning, and has agreed to roll out a firmware update to include a “haptic buzz” to address safety issues. The new Onewheel haptic buzz appears to replace the pushback feature so that instead of the device stopping and nosediving when the limits have been exceeded, it will issue an audible buzzing sensation when the device is near its limits, has a low battery or other error.

Onewheel Skateboard Accident Injuries

For many who have been ejected from the devices and severely injured, the Onewheel recall comes far too late. When the electric skateboard is in motion and stops suddenly or fails to balance properly, the rider can be forcefully thrown or ejected from the board, which can result in serious and traumatic injuries.

What are the most common Onewheel injuries?

According to multiple Onewheel lawsuits and reports submitted to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, some of the most common Onewheel accident injuries have included;

• Bone fractures or breaking
• Concussions
• Ligament damage
• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Death

Onewheel nosedive accidents can be attributed to a variety of factors, and understanding these causes is crucial for potential riders. Two significant contributors to these incidents are the device’s pushback feature and sudden battery shutdowns.

Onewheel Pushback Accidents

The pushback feature in the Onewheel is a built-in safety mechanism designed to alert the rider that they are approaching the board’s speed or power limits. When riders are nearing these thresholds, the nose of the board will automatically rise. This change in board position is intended to signal the rider to slow down and thus prevent a potential nosedive.

However, rather than receiving this warning when the motor reaches its critical limit, lawsuits claim that the Onewheels will abruptly shut down, causing the Onewheel to lose its accelerating power and balancing assist feature, causing the front of the board to nosedive while in motion.

Lawsuits claim that due to the various reasons a rider may experience a sudden pushback that could disable to Onewheel, it is nearly impossible to predict when the board could suddenly nosedive.

OneWheel Battery Shutdowns Nosedive Accidents

Battery-related issues are another primary cause of Onewheel nosedives. The Onewheel relies on its battery not just for propulsion, but also to power the electronic components that keep the board balanced. If the battery suddenly depletes or the system believes it’s at risk of damage due to over-discharge, it can shut down without any warning.

When this shutdown occurs, the board loses all its self-balancing capabilities, causing an immediate nosedive. Riders, especially those traveling at higher speeds or on tricky terrains, are caught off guard and are often thrown forward violently. Factors such as rider weight, terrain, wind resistance, and tire pressure can all affect battery consumption rates, making it challenging to predict precisely when a battery might deplete to critical levels

Onewheel Lawsuit Settlement Information

To date, the manufacturer has not offered any global settlement for individuals who have suffered serious injuries or wrongful death after being ejected from Onewheel devices. However, in December 2023 the cases were centralized as part of a multidistrict litigation before U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman in the Northern District of California, who is likely to call for early bellwether test trials that could encourage the manufacturer to offer a global Onewheel settlement.

If the parties are unable to reach a Onewheel skateboard settlement or other resolution to the litigation, each claim may be later remanded back to the U.S. District Court where it originated for individual trial dates.

What types of compensation can you receive from a Onewheel lawsuit payout?

Onewheel riders who have been injured due to the device’s apparent defective design, malfunction, or lack of proper warnings may be entitled to the following types of compensation;

• Medical Expenses: This covers past and future medical costs associated with the injury, including hospital stays, surgeries, doctor visits, medications, physical therapy, and any other related medical treatments.
• Lost Wages: If the injury forced the victim to miss work, they could seek compensation for the wages lost during that period. Additionally, if the injury impacts their future earning capacity, compensation for potential future lost earnings might be pursued.
• Pain and Suffering: This is a non-economic damage that compensates the victim for the physical pain and emotional distress suffered due to the injury.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation may be sought if the injury prevents the victim from enjoying daily activities and hobbies they once participated in.
• Property Damage: If the OneWheel device or any other personal property was damaged during the incident, compensation could be sought for repair or replacement.

OneWheel Accident Lawsuit Examples

Onewheel Nosedive Wrongful Death Lawsuit: The family of Joe Bunnell filed a OneWheel wrongful death lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado against Future Motion on July 12, 2022, claiming that the now deceased Joe Bunnell died from traumatic brain injuries caused by his OneWheel suddenly shutting off and nosediving while he was riding on the sidewalk.

The complaint states that as a result of being unexpectedly thrown off the Onewheel device, Joe Bunnell was knocked unconscious, suffering fatal head and brain trauma.

OneWheel Onewheel+ XR Lawsuit: Jonathan Burke filed a Onewheel+ XR lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Miami Division on September 8, 2023, claiming that while riding his Onewheel+ XR the device suddenly and unexpectedly came to an abrupt halt, violently nosediving and launching Jonathan off the device onto the pavement. The lawsuit claims that Jonathan required emergency treatment and was diagnosed with a fracture of the mid-right clavicle, which required surgical intervention.

OneWheel GT Lawsuit: Matthew Boston filed a OneWheel nosedive accident lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on September 8, 2023, claiming his OneWheel GT suddenly and unexpectedly stopped dead while traveling at approximately 16 mph, violently ejecting Matthew from the Onewheel and onto the pavement.

Matthew was treated at a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with an open fracture to his left radius and left ulna requiring surgery, a concussion, an acute kidney injury, and multiple abrasions to his face and chest. Mr. Boston claims that his physical capabilities are now limited and he continues to suffer pain and limited mobility and ability to perform daily tasks.

Contact a OneWheel Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one were injured in a OneWheel accident, submit information about your potential claim for review by a product liability lawyer to determine whether a OneWheel settlement or lawsuit payout may be available.

OneWheel injury and wrongful death lawyers provide free claim evaluations and consultations. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained in your case.