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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Warns Bicyclists to Watch for Bike Recalls

September 16, 2016 | Category: Personal Injury

When it comes to bicycle safety recalls, the first half of 2016 has been prolific. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) already listed eight bicycle recalls as of the beginning of August, 2016. While well-known recalls affect countless motor vehicles, however, bicycle recalls do not readily make the headlines.

Individuals who use any form of alternative transportation, from bicycles to motor scooters, need to proactively monitor safety issues pertaining to their vehicles of choice. Failure to address recalls can potentially be a matter of life or death. 

Bike Failure Can Result in Major Accidents in Traffic

A typical fall from a bicycle is likely to cause a skinned knee or perhaps a broken bone that may require some minimal medical treatment or prevent full mobility for a relatively short time-period. However, issues like those covered in recent recalls, such as the following, can also cause serious injuries to bicyclists who share the roads with motor vehicles:

  • The development of a sudden crack in the fork axle can pose a fall hazard.
  • Falls can occur when the steer tube comes loose in the crown of the fork.
  • The risk of crashes increases for bikes with rims that cause brake pads to wear out unexpectedly.
  • A seat post can break unexpectedly and pose a fall hazard.
  • The quick-release levers on some bicycles can interfere with the front disc brake assembly, causing the front wheel to stop suddenly or separate from the bikes.

Interestingly, not all of these defects appear on every bicycle covered by the recall. In some cases, such as the quick-release lever recalls, the risk applies only to bikes that were improperly tightened during manufacturing. They do not always represent clear design flaws. Still, bicycle recalls apply to all units within a group because consumers need to get their bikes checked to find out whether the issue applies to them.

Riders who take their bikes into traffic should regularly look at the CPSC website to make sure that their bicycles are safe. Even those who feel certain that a recall does not apply to them should consider having it checked out.

Identifying Fault in Accidents Between Bikes and Larger Vehicles Can Present Challenges

When bicycles and motor vehicles crash, most people automatically assume that the fault must lie with either the rider or the driver. In fact, due to the dramatic injuries that are typically suffered by the riders, common perception often places the blame on drivers in these situations.

Add an unrepaired recalled bicycle into the mix, and a third party, the bike manufacturer, might bear much (or even all) of the fault. This is why every accident requires substantial investigation that includes examination of the bicycle involved. If it is subject to recall, only a detailed forensic analysis of the vehicle can help determine if its failure was the real culprit that caused the accident.

In the event of injury, it is important to seek guidance from a lawyer who understands the often-complex issues associated with product liability, particularly when traffic accidents are also involved. To receive support from attorneys who are dedicated to unraveling all underlying details, call us at (844) 478-3626 / (844) 4RUDMAN, at our Los Angeles office at (213) 375-3777 or at our Studio City office (818) 769-6969.

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