Lawsuit Filed Against Onewheel Due to Abrupt Shutoff

A Texas man has sued California based Future Motion, Inc. arising from injuries he sustained after his Onewheel XR transportation device allegedly shutoff without warning and caused him to fall mid-ride. The suit alleges the California manufacturer was negligent in its warnings and design of the product.

Future Motion’s Onewheel products are electric powered self-balancing boards that engage when foot pads are parallel to the ground and moves in conjunction with the amount of pressure that is applied on the front foot. Onewheel has been popular since its initial production starting in 2014.  The Onewheel XR can allegedly go 12-18 miles on a full battery and has a range of approximately 5-7 miles per charge. Some models can go as fast as 19 miles per hour.

The lawsuit alleges that the man was riding downhill in a residential area when the Onewheel shut off and nosedived.  The abrupt shutoff caused the board to strike the pavement and throw the man forward. Luckily, the man was wearing a helmet yet he still suffered severe injuries including a broken femur that required two surgeries, a dislocated right shoulder, and several lacerations along the side of his body.

Documents on file with the court indicate the causes of action are for alleged failures to warn, negligent design, strict liability, and violations of the California Business and Professions Code for Future Motion allegedly not acknowledging the risks and misleading consumers into believing its Onewheel products were safe. The suit seeks compensation for medical costs, lost income, and punitive damages.

If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a defective product, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-396-3964 or toll free at 1‑800-594-4884.