After the recent death of a child involving one of Peloton’s Tread+ treadmills, the CPSC – Consumer Product Safety Commission – has released a statement urging consumers with children and pets at home to stop using the Peloton Tread+ product immediately.
Along with the one report of the death of a child, there have been 38 other reported incidents of small children and pets being injured by this machine. These reports have included children becoming entrapped, pinned, and pulled under the rear roller of the machine. The CPSC is continuing to investigate all known incidents related to the Peloton Tread+.
It is noted that the Peloton Tread+ design is dangerous due to its height off the ground and belt mechanism which can cause small children, pets, and objects to get pulled beneath the machine and become seriously injured. Some of these injuries have included, head injuries, brain injuries, and marks on the skin.
The CPSC believes that the Peloton Tread+ poses serious risks to children for abrasions, fractures, and death. The agency is now urging Peloton to recall its exercise machine and cease its sales.
In response to these incidents, Peloton’s CEO, John Foley, released a letter – on the company’s website addressing the concerns. In this letter, he acknowledged the child’s death caused by the Tread+ and also admitted to knowing about a small number of other injury incidents related to their treadmill. He proceeded to state that Peloton works to build all products safely, but to stay safe all consumers must follow the safety warnings and instructions that Peloton provides with the machine. Foley concludes his letter by stating that Peloton is looking into ways to reinforce their safety warnings to prevent future accidents.
Although the CPSC is urging Peloton to cease its sale and recall the Tread+ product, the company is refusing to do so. A spokesperson for Peloton states that the company believes the Tread+ is still safe for home use if it is operated as directed and all warnings and instructions are followed.
In Massachusetts, the law requires product manufacturers like Peloton to sell products that do not pose an unreasonable risk to consumers.
Manufacturers are required to:
- eliminate dangers, if possible
- guard against those dangers if the danger cannot reasonably be eliminated
- warn against these dangers when the danger cannot be avoided otherwise.
It’s concerning that Peloton knows these risks their machines can cause and continues to keep them on the market. The more dangerous a product is, the more consumers have a right to expect that manufacturers will make them safe.
At DILLER LAW, we represent families of people injured or killed by dangerous products. If you have suffered an injury because of a dangerous product, you should consult with an experienced lawyer who can evaluate whether or not the designer, manufacturer, and/or seller of the product failed to keep you safe and free from foreseeable danger.
The lawyers at DILLER LAW do not charge a fee for the initial consultation because we generally work on a contingency fee and we understand how difficult financially it is for those who have recently suffered an injury resulting from a defective product.
For a free legal consultation call us now at (617) 523-7771.