A South Dakota man who suffered permanent injuries after an exercise ball exploded is asking for an unspecified amount of money in a negligence lawsuit against the product’s manufacturer. The lawsuit is similar to one filed by a National Basketball Association player who also suffered injuries from an exploding stability ball less than two years ago. The NBA lawsuit reached a settlement before going to trial.
The plaintiff in this latest case claims the exercise ball burst during a workout session and caused him to crash to the floor. The suit contends that the fall left the man permanently handicapped and also temporarily without the use of his legs and arms. According to the complaint, the man landed on his chest, chin and pelvis after the exercise ball exploded. He was taken immediately to an emergency room where he was hospitalized and put into a coma. Since the accident, the man says he has needed physical therapy along with multiple surgeries.
According to the man’s lawyer, he was using the exercise ball in accordance with the enclosed manufacturer’s insert when the explosion occurred. It was not specified in the complaint whether the exercise ball the man was using had been labeled or marketed as an anti-burst ball. Stability and exercise balls that are marketed as anti-burst slowly deflate in the event of a perforation or if they are pushed beyond their weight limits. The manufacturer of the exercise ball has not yet responded to the complaint.
As Montana consumers, we assume that the products we purchase conform to safety regulations. When people suffer harm from faulty sports equipment or other defective products, a civil action can help them recoup financial damages and hold the manufacturer accountable for a potentially dangerous product.
Source: Angus Leader, “Exercise ball explosion leads to injuries, lawsuit” John Hult, Apr. 17, 2014