Target and Hoverboard Maker Agree to a $38.5 Million Settlement Over House Fire That Killed Two Girls

Retailer Target and the maker of a hoverboard the store sold have agreed to a $38.5 million settlement of a lawsuit claiming the scooter caused a Pennsylvania house fire in which two girls, ages 10 and 15, died.

The lawsuit filed in September 2022 in federal court for eastern Pennsylvania claimed that Target and the hoverboard manufacturer, Jetson Electric Bikes, knew about fire risks associated with the hoverboard. Jennifer and Damien Kaufman, parents of the deceased children, claimed Target and Jetson knew the Jetson Rogue Hoverboard could ignite without warning and cause a fire, catastrophic injuries, and/or death but they marketed and sold the hoverboard anyway as being safe and made for “everyday adventures” and without adequately warning consumers.

Damien Kaufman bought the hoverboard as a Christmas gift for one of his daughters at a Target store in Quakerstown. The complaint alleged that on April 1, 2022, the hoverboard short-circuited while it was being charged, causing the fire that rapidly filled their Hellertown home with flames and smoke. Two children, Abigail and Brianna, were trapped on the second floor. They were rescued by firefighters but suffered smoke inhalation and died at the hospital. The Kaufmans’ home and all of their personal belongings were completely destroyed.

Read the source article at Insurance Journal