California has experienced a dramatic increase in the use of electric bikes over the past few years. This has revolutionized the way residents commute, enjoy the outdoors, and adopt eco-friendly transport. Electric bicycles are a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional vehicles.
California is seeing an increase in the popularity of e-bikes as a form of transport. Somehow, they are a danger to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
E-Bikes for California
Electric or pedal-assisted bicycles are bikes with an electric motor integrated to help the rider pedal. The market offers two types of e-bikes: those with smaller motors to reduce the amount of effort required to pedal and those with larger motors with moped-like features. The e-bikes are still not mopeds because they require the rider to pedal. The pandemic has led to more e-bikes on the city’s streets than ever before. We have also seen an increase in injuries and accidents related to e-bikes.
Common Causes of E-bike Accidents
E-bike crashes can also be caused by other factors. Our experience has shown that e-bike crashes are often caused by:
- Collisions between pedestrians and cyclists
- Collisions between motor vehicles
- Electrical and manufacturing defects that may cause fire
- Improper maintenance
Accidents involving e-bikes, depending on the parties and circumstances involved, can have severe consequences and in some cases, even fatal ones. E-bikes can also be more accident-prone than traditional bikes because they are faster and are less familiar to pedestrians and motorists. It is easy for other road users to misjudge their speed and cause collisions.
Legal Issues Following an E-Bike Accident
Liability will vary depending on the circumstances of each accident. Liable parties in collision cases include cyclists or pedestrians. In such cases, plaintiffs can sue based on negligence or irresponsibility.
A plaintiff must prove that the defendant’s negligence caused the accident to bring a negligence suit. To bring a case based on recklessness the plaintiff must show that the defendant acted recklessly, or was in a state where they didn’t care about the consequences.
Compensation damages are usually awarded to the plaintiff as compensation for their actual losses. Losses that are covered by compensatory damage include:
- Hospital and medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Damage to property
- Lost Wages
- Loss of earning potential or career
- Pain and suffering
Bottom Line!
It is important to consult an attorney at Tenina Law as soon as possible if you or someone close to you has been injured by an accident. You may be entitled to significant compensation depending on the circumstances.is article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top slip and fall attorney Orange County CA, and the founder of Tenina Law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.