You Trusted the Ride, Now It’s Time to Hold Them Accountable: Defective E-Bikes and Scooters

Electric bikes and scooters have become a go-to solution for urban commuters, delivery workers, and casual riders. They’re compact, eco-friendly, and convenient, but the outcome can be catastrophic when a defect causes a crash, fire, or sudden loss of control.

Defective e-bikes and scooters are responsible for rising injuries nationwide, from lithium-ion battery explosions to brake and throttle failures. If you or someone you love has been hurt by one of these devices, you may have a right to seek compensation.

At Morgan & Morgan, we help consumers challenge manufacturers when safety is sacrificed for speed or profit. If your e-bike or scooter fails and causes injury, our legal team is ready to fight for you.

Not All Rides Are Safe

Scooters and e-bikes have flooded streets and sidewalks recently, especially in densely populated cities. While the convenience is hard to ignore, the risks of malfunction are very real, especially when safety standards lag behind product demand.

Common e-bike and scooter defects include:

• Battery fires and explosions: Faulty lithium-ion batteries can overheat, ignite, or explode, often while charging or during use.
• Brake failure: Defective or poorly calibrated brakes can prevent riders from stopping in time, especially on hills or in traffic.
• Accelerator malfunctions: Sudden surges in speed or unresponsive throttles can lead to loss of control and dangerous collisions.
• Handlebar or stem breakage: Structural flaws can cause the steering column to snap while riding.
• Defective tires or wheels: Poor-quality tires can blow out or detach, especially on uneven pavement.
• Software glitches: Some models include ride-assist technology that can behave unpredictably when buggy or hacked.

Many of these issues arise not from user error but from companies rushing poorly tested products to market or ignoring known defects.

What Injuries Can Result From E-Bike and Scooter Defects?

With riders exposed and unprotected, even low-speed accidents can result in serious injuries. Common outcomes include:

• Head injuries and concussions, even with helmets, the force of a fall or collision can be severe.
• Burns and smoke inhalation from battery fires or explosions.
• Broken bones and fractures, particularly wrists, arms, and collarbones.
• Spinal cord injuries or paralysis from high-impact crashes.
• Soft tissue injuries, including whiplash, torn ligaments, and deep contusions.
• Fatalities, especially in traffic-related crashes involving sudden malfunction.

In dense urban environments, even a small defect can lead to a major accident involving other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Defective E-Bike or Scooter?

You may have a product liability claim if a defective part or product failure caused your injuries. Parties who could be held responsible include:

• The manufacturer, for defective design, poor assembly, or lack of safety testing.
• Battery or parts suppliers, particularly in cases involving fire or brake failure.
• Retailers, for selling a product with known safety issues or failing to disclose a recall.
• Rental companies, for putting defective or unmaintained scooters into circulation.
• Repair services, if an improper repair led to a malfunction.

Liability may be based on:

• Design Defects: The product is dangerous even when used as intended.
• Manufacturing Defects: Something went wrong during assembly or production.
• Failure to Warn: The product lacked adequate instructions or safety warnings.

In these cases, you don’t have to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and caused your injury while being used reasonably.

What to Do If You’re Injured

If you’ve been hurt in an e-bike or scooter incident and suspect a defect played a role, follow these steps:

• Seek medical attention, even if you think the injury is minor.
• Preserve the device, do not repair, return, or dispose of it.
• Take photos of the scooter/bike, your injuries, and the accident scene.
• Collect documents, such as receipts, rental agreements, or repair records.
• Contact a product liability attorney as soon as possible to investigate your claim.

How Morgan & Morgan Can Help

When manufacturers put profits ahead of safety, Morgan & Morgan steps in. Our product liability attorneys have decades of experience handling complex cases involving defective consumer products, including batteries, brakes, and electronics.

We may be able to help you recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages or earning potential
• Emotional distress
• Long-term disability or wrongful death

When Your Ride Fails, We Don’t

E-bikes and scooters are supposed to make life easier, not more dangerous. If a defective device injured you, you don’t have to navigate the legal process alone.

Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free case evaluation. When small vehicles cause big harm, we fight back For The People.