Onewheel Accidents Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Onewheel self-balancing electric skateboards, made by Future Motion, are the subject of a federal product liability case. Riders allege the board can suddenly shut off and nosedive, throwing them to the ground. Reported injuries include head injuries and deaths.

The cases are centralized as MDL No. 3087 in the Northern District of California, before Judge Beth Labson Freeman. No class has been certified. No settlement or verdict has been reported.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 300,000 boards in September 2023. Riders should stop using recalled boards and follow the recall steps.

Latest Onewheel Lawsuit Updates

November 26, 2025: Judge Declines Sanctions Against Future Motion

The Daily Journal reported that Future Motion avoided sanctions but might have to pay major rediscovery costs. Plaintiffs said the company hid emails about Onewheel “nosedive” failures [1].

Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen will allow new depositions and shift the expenses to the company. The hidden-email claim is the plaintiffs’ allegation. The ruling concerns discovery and does not decide the merits.

July 12, 2024: Judge Dismisses Most Defect Claims

Courthouse News reported that Judge Beth Labson Freeman dismissed most defect claims against Future Motion. She wrote that “the propensity of the Onewheel to nosedive is not a defect, but an effect” [2].

The order came in the consolidated class action. She let the misleading-safety-statement claim and an implied-warranty claim proceed. A motion to dismiss does not decide the merits.

December 8, 2023: Panel Creates MDL No. 3087

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized 31 actions in 14 districts. It assigned them to the Northern District of California, with Judge Beth Labson Freeman presiding [3].

The panel sends the cases to one judge only for pretrial proceedings, such as discovery and motions. Centralization does not decide who is right.

September 29, 2023: CPSC and Future Motion Recall 300,000 Boards

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Future Motion announced a recall of 300,000 Onewheel skateboards, covering all models. The notice cites four reported deaths between 2019 and 2021 [4].

The recall is number 23-299. It was announced jointly with the company. A recall does not establish liability, and the notice does not decide any lawsuit.

August 11, 2022: Future Motion Recalls GT Footpads

Future Motion recalled about 20,500 front footpads for Onewheel GT skateboards. A CPSC recall alert cited 813 reports of boards continuing to operate after the rider dismounted [5].

This earlier action covered the GT footpad only. The remedy was a free replacement footpad. Boards with these footpads were sold from March 2022 through August 2022.

June 11, 2021: Second Wrongful-Death Suit Announced

A press release from the plaintiffs’ firm announced a second wrongful-death suit against Future Motion. It was filed in San Diego County Superior Court [6].

The suit alleges a Onewheel XR shut off and nosedived in August 2020. These are the firm’s allegations. An earlier wrongful-death suit, filed in May 2020, was on behalf of a Texas family.

What Is a Onewheel?

Courthouse News describes the Onewheel as a self-balancing electric skateboard that rolls on a single large wheel. According to The Verge, Future Motion is the maker of the Onewheel electric skateboard [7].

Who May Be Affected?

Riders of any Onewheel model may be affected. The recall covers the original Onewheel, Onewheel+, Onewheel+ XR, Onewheel Pint, Onewheel Pint X and Onewheel GT. They were sold online and at independent shops nationwide from January 2014 through September 2023.

Plaintiffs allege riders were thrown off at speeds as high as 20 miles per hour, and that the same defect affects every model. Whether a rider has a claim depends on individual facts and an individual legal review.

Reported Injuries or Damages

Wrongful-death claims, including those of a Texas man and a San Diego man, are the plaintiffs’ allegations, and a court has not decided them. The court order says injuries differ from case to case.

In its September 2023 recall notice, the CPSC says Future Motion received dozens of incident reports. The notice lists traumatic brain injury, concussion, paralysis, upper-body fractures, lower-body fractures and ligament damage.

The reported deaths resulted from head trauma. In at least three, the rider was not wearing a helmet. In the CPSC’s words, the skateboards “can stop balancing the rider if the boards’ limits are exceeded.” That is a crash hazard.

Recall and Regulatory Background

The 2023 recall covers all models, sold for between $1,050 and $2,200 at onewheel.com, other websites and independent shops nationwide.

Owners of the GT, Pint X, Pint and +XR update the app and firmware to add Haptic Buzz alerts. Owners of the original Onewheel and Onewheel+ get a pro-rated refund as store credit after confirming disposal.

Contact Future Motion at recall.onewheel.com or 800-283-7943, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. The Verge reported that Future Motion earlier called a CPSC warning “misleading.” A recall does not establish liability.

Evidence to Preserve

Keep anything that shows what happened with the board and the crash. Useful items include:

• The Onewheel board and its serial number
• App and firmware records and ride data
• The charger and any accessories
• Purchase receipts or order emails
• Recall and firmware-update emails
• Photographs of the board, the crash site and injuries
• Helmet and protective gear
• Medical records and bills
• Messages with Future Motion or sellers

Filing Deadlines

Filing deadlines exist and come from state law. They vary with where a rider lives and when the crash, the injury and its diagnosis happened.

Once a deadline passes, a claim can end, no matter how strong the facts are. A rider should check with a lawyer promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a Onewheel Class Action Lawsuit?

A Onewheel class action lawsuit is part of the consolidated case. In July 2024 the judge denied a motion to strike the class claims as premature, so class certification has not been decided.

How Soon Is the Onewheel Firmware Update Available?

The Onewheel firmware update was to be available within one week for the GT and within six weeks for the Pint X, Pint and +XR, according to the September 29, 2023 recall notice.

What Does Future Motion Say About the Onewheel Lawsuits?

In the Onewheel lawsuits, Future Motion says the Onewheel is safe within the rider’s ability and that crashes are user fault. In July 2024 it also said its evaluations of boards that stopped found no technical issues. These are the company’s arguments.

Why Are the Onewheel Cases in Northern California?

The Onewheel cases are in Northern California because Future Motion’s headquarters and manufacturing facility are located there. Related claims are also pending in coordinated California state court proceedings.

References

1. https://dailyjournal.com/article/388758-future-motion-escapes-sanctions-but-might-face-steep-rediscovery-costs
2. https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-dismisses-most-claims-against-electronic-skateboard-manufacturer/
3. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MDL-3087-Transfer_Order-11-23.pdf
4. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Future-Motion-Recalls-Onewheel-Self-Balancing-Electric-Skateboards-Due-to-Crash-Hazard-Four-Deaths-Reported
5. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Future-Motion-Recalls-Footpads-for-Onewheel-GT-Electric-Skateboards-Due-to-Bystander-Injury-Hazard-Recall-Alert
6. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-lawsuit-claims-onewheel-nosedive-responsible-for-san-diego-mans-wrongful-death-301311002.html
7. https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/29/23896151/onewheel-cpsc-recall-future-motion-crash-death