A federal agency has begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic accidental Peloton death of a child.
Details of Accidental Peloton Death Unknown
Peloton CEO and co-founder John Foley first announced the accidental Peloton death in a letter issued on March 18, 2021. Foley wrote that there had been “a tragic accident involving a child and the Tread+” – a Peloton treadmill – “resulting in, unthinkably, a death.”
Foley declined to provide further details about the accidental Peloton death, citing family privacy concerns, but he acknowledged that the company is aware of at least “a small handful of incidents involving the Tread+ where children have been hurt.”
While insisting that Peloton continued to be focused on safety when designing and building its products, Foley also encouraged consumers to take precautions, including making sure that the space around the treadmill is clear of children and pets and keeping the equipment’s safety key out of reach.
Agency Cautions About Dangers of Treadmills
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a federal agency tasked with researching dangerous incidents involving consumer products and developing uniform safety standards, announced that it was aware of the accidental Peloton death and that it is conducting an investigation.
A CPSC spokesperson also cautioned about the dangers of treadmills, particularly to children. Though treadmill fatalities are relatively rare, they do occur. Between 2018 and 2020, the CPSC received reports of at least seventeen treadmill-related deaths, including the death of a five-year-old. In May 2009, Mike Tyson’s four-year-old daughter died after she was entangled in a treadmill cable.
Meanwhile, treadmill injuries remain common. In 2019 alone, there were an estimated 22,500 treadmill-related injuries treated in emergency rooms in the United States, with about 2,000 of those involving victims under eight years old. In February 2021, one month prior to the accidental Peloton death, a three-year-old boy reportedly suffered “significant brain injury” when he was trapped under a Tread+ machine.
Fighting for Consumers Injured by Dangerous Products
While the investigation into the cause of the accidental Peloton death remains ongoing, it is always important for consumers to be careful about how they use the products they purchase in order to avoid preventable injuries. But sometimes a product-related injury is not the fault of the consumer. Sometimes it is the manufacturer who is at fault for releasing a product into the marketplace that it knew was defective, for choosing the bottom line over the common good, with tragic, even deadly results.
If this has happened to you, you need someone who can fight to ensure that you obtain full and fair compensation for your damages, even in the face of unyielding opposition from a multi-billion-dollar corporation. You need the dedicated personal injury attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
With more than $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the leading Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. No other plaintiff attorneys in the state are more respected – or more feared – by their adversaries, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the reputation of success necessary to get you and your family the justice you deserve.
To schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys, contact GWC today. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
<< BACK TO BLOG POSTS