The injuries that result from Onewheel electric skateboard accidents follow a distinct pattern that differs from what you'd see in typical skateboarding or cycling falls.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data shows these devices can suddenly stop balancing, ejecting riders forward at speeds up to 20 mph.
That failure mode leaves riders with little time to react or protect themselves before impact. Contact The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary for a free case evaluation if you've suffered severe injuries in an Onewheel accident.
Head and Brain Injuries Resulting from a Defective Onewheel
Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries, occur frequently in Onewheel accidents. Because the board's sudden balance failure gives riders no time to prepare, head-first contact with pavement or roadways becomes a frequent and serious outcome.
Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage requiring intensive medical care. Common symptoms include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion and memory problems
- Headaches and dizziness
- Cognitive difficulties that persist for weeks or months
- Permanent cognitive impairment and personality changes
Skull fractures occur when the head strikes pavement with significant force. The complications that can follow include brain bleeding, infection, and lasting neurological damage.
Common Fractures that Can Result from a Defective Onewheel Skateboard
Fractures are among the injuries most frequently documented in Onewheel accident reports at the federal level. Broken bones distributed throughout the body reflect the high-impact forward falls that occur when riders instinctively extend their arms in an attempt to break the impact.
Upper body fractures
- Wrists and forearms from bracing during falls
- Shoulders and collarbones from direct impact
- Arms and elbows from attempting to protect the head
- Ribs from landing on the torso
Lower body fractures
- Legs and ankles from landing off-balance after ejection
- Hip and pelvic fractures occurring in high-impact crashes
- Feet and heels that require surgical intervention and hardware implantation
Many of these fractures demand surgery and extended rehabilitation, and some riders are left with permanent limitations in their mobility and physical function.
Neurological and Spinal Injuries
Landing on the back or neck after being ejected at high speeds is the common mechanism behind these injuries. Spinal cord injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis, depending on the location and severity of the damage. Incomplete injuries are no guarantee of full recovery and can still result in lasting weakness, sensation loss, and difficulty with coordination and balance.
Nerve damage extending beyond the spinal cord can impact the extremities, producing numbness, tingling, weakness, or chronic pain that outlasts the initial injury. Traumatic brain injuries and neurological damage appear repeatedly in incident reports, particularly in cases involving high-speed ejections or sudden stops.
Soft Tissue and Ligament Damage
Ligament tears, sprains, and strains, and severe soft tissue trauma are part of the injury profile as well, often developing alongside fractures or during twisting falls and awkward landings. Ligament tears most frequently occur in:
- Rotator cuffs in the shoulder
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee
- Ankle ligaments
- Wrist and elbow ligaments
Such injuries typically demand surgical repair and lengthy physical therapy, and full recovery of strength and range of motion isn't always achievable.
How The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary Can Help With Your Onewheel Injury Claim
The injury pattern from Onewheel accidents differs from typical skateboarding or cycling falls because of the specific failure mode. When the device nosedives or abruptly stops, riders experience sudden forward ejection rather than a gradual loss of control.
Injuries caused by an Onewheel accident may give you viable grounds for a claim against the manufacturer. The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary works with injured riders across the country to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent disabilities. We work with medical and technical experts to determine whether a product defect was responsible for your harm. Contact us for a free case evaluation to talk through the details of your situation.