Peloton is best known for its upscale exercise bikes and treadmills. However, in recent months, Peloton has made headlines over a slew of lawsuits accusing the fitness company of manufacturing unsafe exercise equipment.
Consumer reports of injuries linked to Peloton products, coupled with multiple Peloton product recalls, show a pattern of safety problems.
Currently, the product liability attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers are investigating injury claims stemming from Peloton exercise bikes and treadmills. Our attorneys believe that powerful companies like Peloton should pay the price when their products cause harm to innocent people.
If you or a family member were injured while using a Peloton product, we urge you to contact our law firm to schedule a free case consultation. Our Peloton product liability attorneys have a proven track record of holding companies responsible for their wrongful conduct and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients.
There are no fees until we win your case and collect compensation for you.
Which Peloton Products Were Recalled?In May 2021, Peloton recalled its Tread+ and Tread model treadmills, weeks after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning over numerous injuries and one death linked to the Peloton Tread+.
CPSC warned that the Peloton Tread+ poses a significant hazard to all users, regardless of age. "Adult users, children, pets, and objects can be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill, posing a risk of injury or death," the agency said.
Ultimately, Peloton recalled 125,000 Tread+ treadmills with model number TR01. If you are wondering whether you have one of the recalled treadmills, CPSC says the Tread+ model number is printed on a black sticker on the end cap, in the front of the treadmill deck. Peloton launched the treadmill under the name Peloton Tread in 2018 but renamed the machine Tread+ in September 2020.
According to CPSC, a 6-year-old child died after being pulled under the back portion of the Tread+. The agency says Peloton has received 72 reports of adults, children, pets, or objects being drawn under the back of the treadmill. Of those 72 reports, 29 involved injuries to children, including lacerations, burns, and broken bones.
The same day that Peloton recalled its Tread+ machine, the company recalled more than 1,000 units of its Tread model treadmill with model number TR02 for a different hazard. "The touchscreen on the treadmill can detach and fall, posing a risk of injury to consumers," according to the recall notice.
In October 2020, Peloton recalled 54,000 PR70P clip-in pedals fitted on Peloton exercise bikes that were sold between July 2013 and May 2016, saying they "can break unexpectedly during use, causing laceration injuries."
CPSC says Peloton has received 16 consumer reports of leg injuries associated with the broken pedals, including five injuries that required medical treatment such as stitches.
What Are the Lawsuits Against Peloton About?On behalf of their injured children, parents have brought numerous personal injury lawsuits against Peloton. They allege that Peloton knew or should have known that the recalled treadmills were dangerous and therefore unsafe for their intended use.
One of the lawsuits claims that the Tread+ treadmill has a large space under the machine's belt with no safety bar or guard to prevent a child from being pulled under the machine while it is in use.
In addition to individual lawsuits, several class-action suits are pending against the fitness equipment maker. One of those class actions says Peloton's advertisements, which feature a picture of a woman with a young girl, duped consumers into believing that the treadmill was safe to use around children.
Another class-action lawsuit maintains that Peloton sold exercise bikes that it knew had been affected by rust and corrosion. The suit alleges that Peloton executives concocted a scheme labeled "Project Tinman" to conceal the corrosion problem from consumers. As part of that plan, Peloton allegedly instructed its warehouse workers to apply a "rust converter" chemical over the corroded parts of affected bikes sold during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, thousands of the high-end cycles may have compromised component parts lacking in quality and safety. The company has stated that the flaws were merely cosmetic.
It is important to note that a Peloton lawsuit may be difficult to prove. For example, mechanical engineers and other experts may be needed to weigh in on whether the exercise equipment had a defect and was unsafe for its intended use.
Product liability cases often take years to litigate. Many large, wealthy companies tend to fight vigorously against defect claims. By stretching out the litigation, they hope to drain the injured party's resources. That is why it is in your best interest to team up with a law firm like Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, which has the resources to go head-to-head with deep-pocketed defendants like Peloton and win.
Be aware, in Massachusetts, injured consumers have three years from the date of injury to file a product liability claim against Peloton.
What Injuries Have Peloton's Bikes and Treadmills Caused?Reported injuries linked to the Peloton Tread+ and Tread treadmills range from minor to severe and include:
As for Peloton's PR70P clip-in pedals, injuries include:
One woman claimed that she broke both ankles in Peloton's allegedly defective pedals, but the suit does not specify which pedals caused the injury or how the injury happened.
What Should I Do If I Own a Recalled Peloton Product?If you own a recalled Peloton Tread+ treadmill, recalled Peloton Tread treadmill or recalled PR70P clip-in pedals, you should stop using the products immediately. Peloton is offering refunds for the Tread+, refunds or free repairs for the Tread and replacement pedals for the PR70P clip-in pedals.
Treadmill and Exercise Equipment InjuriesCertainly, other treadmills and exercise equipment can be defective and cause injury to users.
Historically, treadmills have been one of the most dangerous pieces of exercise equipment in a gym and reportedly account for about 35% of all exercise equipment-related injuries. According to CPSC, in 2019, there were 22,500 treadmill-related injuries treated in the United States and the agency received reports of 17 treadmill-related deaths from 2018 to 2020.
Besides Peloton, these are some of the other leading manufacturers of treadmills sold in the United States:
Gym owners and property owners can be held liable when gyms contain broken equipment. Under the legal concept of premises liability, property owners must maintain their businesses in a safe condition for customers and guests. Gym owners should ensure that equipment is well-maintained and safe for use, and follow equipment manufacturers' instructions. For example, most treadmill manufacturers recommend that their machines be positioned away from walls or other equipment. If a treadmill or other exercise machine is broken, the gym should unplug the device and notify clients that the machine is out of order.
In addition to gym and property owners, other parties that can be held liable for injuries caused by exercise equipment are:
Besides treadmills, other gym and workout equipment that can cause injury includes:
When gym equipment breaks or malfunctions, users can sustain injuries such as lacerations, broken bones, crush injuries, and degloving injuries. A treadmill that suddenly stops or changes speed can cause serious harm to a user. A person who falls off a treadmill can sustain head trauma and brain injuries.
What Should I Do If I Have Been Injured by a Treadmill at a Gym?First, it is important to stress that you should always seek medical care for your injuries following an accident. Your health and well-being are always of paramount concern.
If possible, here are some other things that you should do after an accident at a gym caused by faulty equipment:
In addition, you should contact a lawyer as soon as you can to see if you have a viable claim against the gym owner, equipment manufacturer, or other potentially liable parties.
Gyms almost always require members to sign a waiver of liability releasing the gym from liability in the event of an accident. Many people ask if gym releases are valid and enforceable. If the gym was negligent, you may have a valid case. A personal injury attorney can review your paperwork and provide advice on recovering compensation for your injuries.
To learn how our Peloton injury or treadmill injury attorneys can help with a claim against Peloton or other manufacturer, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers at (617) 777-7777 or fill out our electronic form.