A Brooklyn, New York mother has filed a lawsuit against high-end fitness company, Peloton, following the death of her son.
Ryan Furtado, 32, died in January 2022 when his Peloton bike toppled over and sliced his carotid artery at his Brooklyn home.
In 2021, a six-year-old child had died due to an incident with a Peloton treadmill. Additionally, regulators reported another treadmill-related incident that led to significant injuries for a three-year-old. Following these incidents, Peloton was fined $19 million.
The lawsuit alleges that Furtado was performing a “Core” workout, which required riders to dismount the bike for floor exercises. As he was getting up, he used the bike for support. It then toppled, injuring his neck.
The lawsuit claims that the bike’s design, along with a single warning label, were inadequate. Peloton countered by stating that Furtado’s death was the result of his own actions and highlighted that their terms of service require users to assume all responsibility.
Peloton’s Senior Vice President of Global Communications, Ben Boyd, expressed condolences to the Furtado family. However, the attorneys representing the family argue that Peloton needs to be more transparent about the potential risks of their products.
The suit claims that Peloton bikes pose a danger to consumers due to inadequate warnings. The family is seeking compensation for various expenses, including funeral costs, potential loss of financial support, and medical bills.
In a separate incident in May, Peloton recalled approximately two million bikes after concerns arose about the seat post detaching during use, leading to several reported injuries.
