Can I sue if an Onewheel malfunction caused my injury?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission identified serious safety issues directly relevant to injury claims. Onewheel devices can fail to balance or suddenly stop, which can eject riders and cause serious injury or death. At least four deaths between 2019 and 2021 and multiple serious injuries have been reported nationwide.

Reported injuries include traumatic brain injuries, concussions, paralysis, upper and lower body fractures, and ligament damage. These findings are significant because they show a known product hazard and a clear mechanism of injury through sudden ejection. Both elements are central to proving liability.

How to know if you have a valid Onewheel injury claim?

A malfunction or unexpected shutdown involving the board abruptly stopping or nosediving and throwing the rider forward is one of the most commonly alleged failure types in Onewheel lawsuits. Federal safety data confirms this ejection hazard is present across Onewheel models. When a product defect is at issue, it typically fits into one of three categories:

• Design defect: where the product is inherently unsafe as manufactured.
• Manufacturing defect: where a specific unit failed or malfunctioned.
• Failure to warn: where risks were not adequately disclosed to users.

Injuries caused by the defect require proof that the malfunction was the actual cause of your harm, not just that you were in an accident. Nationwide reports connecting Onewheel failures to serious injuries, including brain trauma and paralysis, demonstrate the kind of life-altering harm these malfunctions are capable of causing.

Use in a foreseeable manner strengthens your claim. Claims are stronger when the rider was using the board as intended and not engaging in extreme misuse. Riding within normal parameters following the manufacturer's instructions demonstrates foreseeable use.

What Can Affect the Outcome of Your Case?

A malfunction doesn't automatically mean liability follows. Manufacturers frequently argue rider error, speed limit violations, failure to follow safety guidelines, or that the rider assumed the risk of using the device. The specific facts of the crash, supported by evidence and expert analysis, are what shape the outcome.

Strong cases tend to involve preserved device evidence, solid medical documentation of injuries, witness statements, and expert testimony establishing the link between the malfunction and the crash. Proving that the defect directly caused your injuries and that you were using the product in a foreseeable way is what determines the strength of the claim.

How The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary can help with your Onewheel injury claim

If an Onewheel malfunction caused your injury, The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary can evaluate your claim and help you pursue compensation from Future Motion. We represent injured riders across the country, working alongside engineering experts who examine device failures and medical professionals who document the full extent of your harm. Get in touch for a free case evaluation to see if the malfunction that caused your crash supports a claim.