If you, or a member of your family, are still in possession of a Peloton Tread+ or Tread treadmill, you should be aware that the product has been recalled by the manufacturer after complaints of serious injuries and a fatality. Peloton initially refused to recall its products, claiming that they were safe to use, but eventually backed down after the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) added its voice to angry consumers about the danger of Peloton’s products. Peloton will refund the cost price of any recalled Peloton product if this is done by November 2022. If you, or someone in your family, have been injured in any way as a result of use of either treadmill, you have the right to claim compensation from the company with the help of an East Nashville personal injury attorney.

Why have Peloton treadmills caused injuries?

The Tread+ and Tread products were sold between October 2018 and May 2020 when the recall was announced. The Tread version is a smaller version of the Tread+, which like other treadmills is used for exercise in the home or in gyms. Peloton’s products were very popular early on in the Covid-19 pandemic due to stay at home orders across the U.S. and its profits and stock value soared. Peloton received information that its two products were causing injuries, some of which were serious, but failed to react to the information by issuing an earlier recall.

Defects in the two exercise machines are quite different. The larger model, Tread+, has been reported to have occasionally sucked users of the machine under the track, causing lacerations, bruises, broken bones and, in one case, resulting in the death of a 6 year old child. Injuries didn’t happen just to small children, however. The company apparently received reports of 72 injuries from use of the machine before finally issuing the recall. Adults, children and pets were all reported to be victims.

The smaller Peloton treadmill, just called Track, didn’t have the slatted track of its big brother. The slatted track is not typical of these exercise machines as they normally have a single track which is what the small Peloton machine has as well. The defect in the Tread machines according to Peloton is that the touchscreen monitor easily came loose and could fall off, potentially causing injuries to a user. Although injuries caused by the Peloton Track touchscreen had been reported in Europe, no actual injuries had yet been reported in the U.S.

How Peloton was persuaded to recall its products

It took a few months before Peloton decided to recall its two defective exercise machines, despite a warning from the CPSC to the general public and knowledge that the machines had caused serious injuries and the death of the 6 year old, which happened in March this year. Although the company informed the agency about the death, it did not release the name of the child for another month, citing respect for the privacy of the family. The CPSC has said that the delay in notification of the name of the dead child caused a delay in an investigation into the troubled treadmills. The agency said that it had never received any reports of similar defects in any other brands of treadmills.

Peloton initially refused to recall the machines. Instead it issued a warning to keep children away from the machines and especially to keep keys safe and secure. The CPSC rarely forces a company to issue a recall unless there are pressing safety reasons to do so. It seems that the agency did not obtain full information from Peloton about the other injuries reported to the company from users. In April, before the recall was announced, the company even attacked the agency saying that its concerns about the safety of its products were “unjustified”. The reaction was badly received by angry customers and the company’s share price took a nosedive. It may have been the public warning given by the CPSC that finally prompted Peloton to recall its two products, or concern about its reputation.

Further embarrassment for Peloton

The company did offer to refund in full all returned Tread+ and Tread machines, but complicated the recall message by suggesting that customers could keep their machines and pay for a monthly software “passcode” which would automatically inactivate the machine when not in use so children couldn’t access it. The software was previously free to use with purchase of the machines. Any customers who don’t return their defective machines before next year’s deadline could also be stuck with a product that might have no resale value having already been recalled.

If you or a member of your family have been injured by a Peloton treadmill you may be able to claim compensation from the company as a result of negligence shown by Peloton. You should contact a dedicated and experienced personal  injury attorney at the Keith Williams Law Group in Nashville to discuss your legal options. You can contact Keith Williams at (615) 444-2900.