LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - There is tension between competing companies in the massage gun industry that has spilled over into the courtroom.
Therabody sued Hydragun on Jan. 31 in Los Angeles federal court, alleging false advertising and trade libel. At issue are the claims Hydragun makes about Therabody's Theraguns.
Therabody says it invented the handheld percussive massager and Hydragun's desire to compete has caused it to make false claims.
"Hydragun's website and other marketing materials contain a number of false and misleading statements regarding the sound, range and durability of Therabody products," the lawsuit says.
"For example, Hydragun claims that Therabody's flagship product, the Theragun PRO, operates at up to 75 decibels and is '316x louder' than the Hydragun.
"This is false, as Hydragun surely knows, and Hydragun makes similarly false statements about other Therabody products."
These alleged statements are included on videos posted to social media. Hydragun also uses "wholly inappropriate and malicious depictions" of a motorcycle accident suffered by Therabody founder Dr. Jason Wersland, the suit says.
Jean-Paul Cart of Venable LLP is representing Therabody.