A Brooklyn, New York mother is seeking legal redress against Peloton, the upscale fitness equipment manufacturer, in the wake of her son’s tragic death.
In January 2022, Ryan Furtado, aged 32, died from a severe neck injury after his Peloton stationary bike tipped over in his Brooklyn home. This accident caused a fatal injury to his carotid artery.
Peloton had previously faced safety concerns. In 2021, a young child, only six years old, died from an accident connected to a Peloton treadmill. Another incident saw a three-year-old child seriously injured by the same type of equipment. Following these events, regulators slapped Peloton with a hefty $19 million fine.
Documents from the recent lawsuit specify that Furtado was participating in a “Core” workout on his bike. During a portion of the session requiring ground exercises, Furtado dismounted the bike and leaned on it to rise. This action led to the bike toppling and inflicting the fatal wound. The lawsuit criticizes the bike’s design and argues that a single warning label did not adequately alert users to potential risks.
Peloton’s stance on the matter ties Furtado’s unfortunate death to his individual actions. The company underscored that their terms of service mandate users to assume all risks.
Ben Boyd, Peloton’s Senior VP of Global Communications, expressed his sympathy to Furtado’s relatives, while the family’s lawyers stress the need for Peloton to communicate more transparently about their equipment’s potential hazards.
This case brings to the forefront the issue of whether Peloton’s warning indicators are sufficient. The Furtado family is demanding compensation to cover various costs, including funeral services, anticipated future financial support, and medical bills.
In a related note, just last May, Peloton recalled approximately two million bikes. This decision came after identifying issues with the bike’s seat post, which had been linked to several injuries.