Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Peloton

Peloton, the makers of the $4,295 Tread+ are being sued after a string of injuries and one child’s death were reported in connection with usage of the machine. In Northern California’s District Court, Shannon Albright has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Peloton Interactive, Inc. claiming that the current warnings Peloton offers do not convey the potential safety hazards of its treadmill, which is advertised with images of parents with children using the product. She’s suing the company for $5 million in damages.

According to Fox Business, “the lawsuit also featured an advertisement from Peloton showing what appeared to be a mother and daughter exercising in front of its treadmill.

“Chillingly, the child featured in the picture is exactly the sort of victim that the Tread+ machine is uniquely capable of killing or maiming,” claims Albright.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has pulled its recommendation of the Tread+ and warns that the product “poses serious risks for children for abrasions, fractures and death,” citing broken bones and brain injuries as the potential result of children getting caught under the machine.

Peloton is in hot water as CEO John Foley has refused to issue a recall of the product, claiming the Tread+ is “safe when our warnings and safety instructions are followed,” noting it is not for children under 16 or pets. The situation is ongoing, but this will be a very interesting personal injury case to follow.