Segway Lawsuit Filed Due to Product Malfunction

A Chicago police officer has filed a lawsuit against the maker of Segways, a two-wheel transportation vehicle which has generated a lot of public interest due to its groundbreaking technology. The Segway lawsuit alleges that the personal transporter malfunctioned, causing him to fall and suffer severe personal injuries.

Officer Mathew Fencl alleges that he was riding the Segway when it turned suddenly after he brushed up against a building. The 2006 incident caused him to fall violently to ground. His lawsuit was filed last month in Cook County Circuit Court seeking at least $50,000 in damages from Segway, Inc. and a local dealership for negligence and product liability.

The Segway, which was invented by Dean Kamen, uses a revolutionary technology to balance the rider on two wheels. The Segway scooterr is controlled by an intelligent network of control systems, mechanical assemblies, propulsion mechanisms and sensors. The manufacturer claims that these sensors and accelerometers detect terrain changes and body position much faster than the brain can think, and that the dynamic stabilization technology helps the Segway balance similar to how the human body does.

According to a report in the New Hampshire Business Review, at least twelve Segway lawsuits have been filed since the vehicles were first introduced in 2003. Users have reported suffering severe injuries and fractures as a result of the machine stopping suddenly, jerking unexpectedly or failing to respond to controls.

In 2003, approximately 6,000 Segways were recalled following reports that the vehicles were stopping suddenly after their batteries ran out. A second Segway recall was issued in 2006, involving about 23,500 units after a defect was found that could cause them to unexpectedly go backwards. The manufacturer attributed these problems to software glitches and offered to upgrade the units free of cost.