Maison Law represents the victims of E-Bike accidents caused by manufacturing defects and part failure in California. We make sure clients have the proof they need to hold a negligent manufacturer or retailer fully responsible for injuries caused by an unsafe E-Bicycle.
Contact the California Product Liability Lawyers at Maison Law for a free case consultation. We want to hear about what happened so we can inform you of every benefit available to you and your family. Find out how to secure financial support from a major company so you can heal and return to the bike rides you love.
Do I Need a Lawyer After an E-Bike Accident?
If a brake malfunction or a battery issue causes you to crash or exposes you to harm that causes a serious injury, it’s important to discuss your case with a California E-Bike Manufacturer Liability Lawyer about your options.
A bike maker should be 100% liable for your recovery costs, but those big companies also have the money to pay teams of lawyers to get them off the hook. Lawyers and insurance adjusters get paid to find ways to blame you for an accident or limit the support you receive at a time when you’ll need it the most.
Maison Law protects you from this treatment. Our lawyers go to work collecting powerful evidence that proves a manufacturer or a bicycle store’s mistake caused your painful injury. Then we use that evidence to force at-fault parties to provide the maximum in compensation for you and your family.
California E-Bike Dangers
Plenty of people hop on E-Bikes to ride to work or school, or just to head to the beach or the store. Some own their E-Bikes. Others rent them through an app from Lyft or Lime.
An E-Bike is a bike you still pedal, but it comes with a motor that can provide extra power and assist with making longer trips easier on the legs. The motors also help riders keep up with vehicle traffic when they travel in the street.
Unfortunately, the addition of a motor and electrical components adds to the risks cyclists face. There are always hazards that come along with traveling alongside heavy, fast-moving vehicles. But it’s especially scary to think that a part failure or a crack in a frame could also send a rider to the ground.
E-Bike manufacturers are responsible for making safe bikes without design flaws or batteries that will malfunction. Shops and rideshares that assemble, maintain, and work on E-Bikes must ensure the bikes are safe. When people get hurt by a problem with an E-Bike, business owners and company owners can be held liable for medical bills and other damages.
These are just a few of the issues that could leave an E-Bike maker, a rideshare, or a bicycle shop responsible for a victim’s recovery costs.
- A problem with brakes and brake lines
- Tire blowouts and wheel defects
- A faulty bike chain
- A problem with a gear changer and cassette
- Loose bolts and nuts
- Carbon and metal bike frame cracks and failures
- Flaws build into pedals and issues in the drive train
- Battery Failures and Explosions
- An E-Bike that was assembled wrong
The main difference between a regular bike and an e-bike is the battery and motor. It’s a major addition and only increases the danger for bicyclists. Batteries contain harmful and dangerous chemicals. A faulty battery can explode and cause chemical burns to a rider’s legs, face, and across the body. A motor may overheat and cause a burn to anyone who touches it.
The injuries can be severe and do permanent damage. Any injury claim or lawsuit filed against an E-Bike manufacturer needs to account for the months and years a victim may be suffering. A Maison Law lawyer battles back against big businesses and makes sure the client has enough support for however long it takes to get back on a bicycle.
Who Is Responsible if an E-Bike Breakdown Caused My Injury?
The manufacturers of any product have a duty to care for their customers and provide them with goods that are absolutely safe. When they sell a product directly to consumers or to a retail store and that item injures people, the company can be held fully liable.
A rideshare that rents out E-Bicycles must provide regular maintenance to their fleet to keep them safe. The owner of a shop that sells and services E-Bikes could also be responsible for a dangerous breakdown or faulty repair.
These personal injury protections fall under product liability. When a company or a retailer allows someone to get hurt by a bicycle that’s made with defects, the company and store owners can be held accountable for every cost victims encounter during recovery.
Product liability cases usually hinge on showing the negligence of owners and operators of businesses. These would all be examples of negligence:
- E-Bicycle Design flaws. No matter how well it’s made, an original defect in the design of a bicycle can cause a major problem for consumers. Companies like Hyper and HJM may put bicycle designs through too little safety testing to catch a mistake. Companies may think there’s only a slight risk in their product and batteries and ignore any issues. A product can reach the production stage with a dangerous flaw that could hurt you or a family member.
- Bicycle Manufacturing mistakes. A defect in the way bicycle parts are constructed can mean it’s a real hazard by the time it reaches store shelves. A bicycle parts manufacturer like Shimano could be to blame for a faulty part ending up on thousands of bikes. A company that provides batteries for E-bikes might also be to blame for a faulty battery that can explode and cause severe burns.
- Bicycle Assembly Mistakes: Problems with the way a bike is assembled could cause a traumatic injury while you are on the road. The company or store that assembled the bike could be liable for any injuries caused. The bike shop that worked on the bike could also be liable if a repair doesn’t hold, or parts aren’t refastened properly.
- Bicycle Negligent marketing. An E-Bicycle manufacturer may know about risks in the design and construction of the bike, but let it go to market anyway. This falls under the legal liability of “failure to warn.” Marketing teams from businesses must properly warn you of the risks of bringing such a device into your living room. Putting a warning on the back of instruction manuals or on a small sticker won’t always protect a company from liability if someone gets hurt. Instruction manuals themselves may be misleading and poorly written, leading to dangers.
In some cases, a product that caused you harm might’ve been under a recall, but a company didn’t do enough to alert E-Bike owners. In other cases, the manufacturer may have already gotten several alerts on a problem that should have led to a recall, but it instead delayed taking action. Your Maison Law lawyer will be going over every action and non-action of the company to force a bicycle maker to do the right thing for injured riders.
How Much Is My E-Bike Accident Injury Worth?
It’s difficult to determine what your injury may earn in an insurance settlement or in a judgment in court. A California E-Bike accident lawyer would need to hear the details of your case, investigate the accident, and speak with doctors about your medical prognosis. The time you take to heal and the time you’ll be unable to ride should play a big role in what an at-fault bike manufacturer should pay.
Company owners and business owners will try to avoid taking the blame, but in these cases, they often want to steer clear of any bad publicity. They’ll want to dodge any negative attention and hopefully decide to support their victims fully. Your lawyer represents the threat of a lawsuit and trial. Companies want to avoid the cost and embarrassment of going before a judge and jury. This sometimes encourages a company to stop fighting and compensate injured patients fairly with a settlement check.
In the meantime, your lawyer creates a list of every hardship you and your family have faced since the accident. This includes economic damages and non-economic hardships. These are just a few of the things that can increase the size of a settlement check:
- Past and future medical invoices.
- Long-term costs associated with permanent disfigurement and permanent disability.
- Support for the physical pain you endure after a California E-Bike crash.
- Support for the emotional trauma you’ve suffered during your E-Bike accident recovery. The anxiety and depression that can follow an accident. The PTSD symptoms that might arise after a scary collision.
- Support for the wages and benefits lost while missing work.
- Repairs to E-Bicycle or replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file an E-Bike injury claim after an accident?
Two years. You have two years from the date of your bike crash to file a claim against an at-fault driver. Taking action as soon as possible is best. This gives your attorney time to collect fresh evidence and keep track of witnesses.
How does my bicycle accident lawyer get paid?
If Maison Law can help you earn more for your E-Bike accident injury claim, you won’t need to worry about how you’ll pay an attorney’s fee. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our payment comes out of the settlement money a company owner must pay you.
Should I throw out the clothes I was wearing after a bicycle accident?
No. Preserve all evidence. Don’t wash bloody clothing. Save the shoes and socks you were wearing on your bike and don’t wear them again until your lawyer says it’s okay. Always keep your broken bike for your case.
Contact a California E-Bike Collision Attorney
If you or a loved one are hurt by a defective bicycle, speak with a local California E-Bike Manufacturer Accident Lawyer. We are cycling advocates and want safe rides and safe bikes for all riders. When cyclists are injured, we want to secure support for them as fast as possible so they can afford the best care available and get back on their bicycles.
The skilled lawyers at Maison Law offer free case consultations to all California E-Bike accident victims. Contact us to schedule a case review. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and how to demand the maximum in compensation from the company or corporation that makes, assembles, or sells a faulty bike.
