I have been a plaintiff’s product liability lawyer for over 40 years now, and I have been watching a dangerous trend emerging from the increased popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters. I’ve been riding e-bikes for eight years now, and I currently keep several in rotation. So, when I say I follow the lithium-ion battery fire issue closely, it’s not purely academic or professional— it’s the same battery chemistry sitting in my garage every night.
That dual vantage point, as both a rider and a lawyer, is exactly why this topic keeps pulling my attention: e-bikes and e-scooters have exploded in…
E-bikes have changed how millions of us get around — faster commutes, easier hills, longer rides, more fun on two wheels. But the lithium-ion batteries that power these bikes come with a real risk that doesn’t get talked about enough: battery fires. As both an avid e-bike rider and an attorney who handles product liability cases, I want to walk you through two things: what to do in the moment if your battery catches fire, and what to do afterward to protect yourself — physically and legally.
Part 1: If Your E-Bike Battery Is on Fire Right Now
Lithium-ion battery…
You might still be replaying the moment in your mind. One second you were riding your bike, maybe heading home from work or out for some air, and the next you were on the ground, hearing people asking if you were okay. Now you have pain, medical bills, maybe a damaged bike, and on top of that you just found out the driver was working for Uber or Lyft when they hit you.
That small detail can make everything feel more confusing. Whose insurance is supposed to pay for this? The driver’s. Uber or Lyft’s. Your own. You may be…
I’ve been riding e-bikes for eight years now, and I’ve got several sitting in my garage as I write this. I love them — for the commute, for errands, for the sheer fun of it — and nothing about what I’m going to say here is meant to talk anyone out of riding. But I’m also a lawyer who handles cases involving lithium-ion battery fires, and that combination has taught me something: the same battery pack that makes these rides so enjoyable can, in rare but devastating cases, turn into the worst night of someone’s life. If that’s happened to…
You might still replay the crash in your mind. One moment you were riding through San Francisco traffic, maybe watching for car doors or a sudden right turn, and the next moment everything changed. Now you are juggling medical appointments, a damaged bike, time off work, and a stack of confusing paperwork. On top of the pain, there is a quiet worry in the background. What if you say or sign the wrong thing and lose the help you need to recover?
If you are thinking about calling a bicycle accident lawyer, you are already carrying enough stress. You should…
