E-Bike & Scooter Battery Fires and Serious Burn Injury

From commuter e-bikes to weekend e-scooters, micromobility is everywhere in Providence. While there are obvious risks associated with using e-bikes and scooters, primarily related to falling off or being involved in an accident while riding, a hidden risk exists as well: lithium-ion battery fires.

When a battery cell is damaged or poorly made, heat can snowball into what fire experts call “thermal runaway,” turning a normal charge into fast-moving, intensely hot fire that can spread toxic material and smoke within seconds. Burn injury, inhalation injury, and other serious harm can easily follow, both for riders and bystanders.

At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, our Providence burn injury attorneys investigate these accidents to determine what went wrong and who can be held accountable. We are here to help victims of serious burn injuries protect their rights and pursue maximum compensation.

Talk to a Providence Burn Injury Attorney for FREE

To discuss your case with an experienced burn injury lawyer in Providence, call Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell at 401-273-8330 today. During your FREE and confidential consultation, we can listen to your experiences, review your options, and help you determine how to move forward with your claim.

Burn Injury and Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

E-bike and e-scooter battery failure may result in:

• Thermal burns from flash fires and flames
• Chemical burns from battery electrolyte exposure
• Inhalation injuries from toxic smoke and superheated gases
• Blast injuries from cell ruptures or exploding packs

Fires from e-scooter or e-bike batteries burn very hot and can escalate quickly. This combination often results in serious, sometimes lifelong harm. Depending on the level of exposure, these injuries can require skin grafts, infection control, scar management, contracture therapy, long-term pain and PTSD care, and more. When you suffer injury from a micromobility device, you have every right to hold the liable party accountable and seek compensation for all of your injuries. The Providence burn injury attorneys at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell can help.

With more than 50 years of experience, our firm has helped victims of burn injuries secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, including record- and precedent-setting rulings, such as the more than $176,000,000 verdict for victims of the Station Nightclub Fire. We are committed to helping victims of e-bike and scooter burns secure the fair and full compensation they are due.

Who Can Be Held Liable for E-Bike/E-Scooter Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries from battery fires may stem from product defects. They may also be a result of inadequate premises safety measures. Depending on the facts of the case, liability for a burn injury may extend to:

• Manufacturers and Component Makers. Defective cell chemistry, poor battery-management systems, inadequate venting, or missing warnings may be product liability issues.
• Retailers and Online Marketplaces. Sellers who distribute unsafe or non-certified units, provide inadequate instructions, or push counterfeit products can be held accountable for injuries.
• Fleet Operators and Repair Shops. Operators of e-bike and e-scooter fleets, like Spin, Bird, and Veo, and their maintenance contractors, can be held liable for negligent repairs, unsafe charging practices, or improper storage of fleet devices.
• Property Owners and Managers. In multi-unit housing or commercial buildings, blocked egress, lack of alarms, or unsafe charging policies can lead to harm.

To determine what caused a lithium-ion fire burn injury, an investigation might need to be conducted into the event. At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, our Providence burn injury attorneys are thorough in these pursuits, often working with both internal and external specialists to identify the root cause and hold the proper party responsible.

E-Bike and E-Scooter Fire Injury to Non-Riders

Lithium-ion failures don’t only harm riders. Fires and explosions can injure pedestrians, motorists, neighbors, customers, and anyone nearby. They can also cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash.

When a faulty battery contributes to a crash that injures a non-rider, the underlying cause must be determined. Rhode Island follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means that your damages may be reduced by the percentage of blame assigned to you after a crash. To help protect your right to seek full compensation, it must be shown that the faulty device, not your actions, led to the crash. During your cost- and obligation-free consultation, we can discuss this in more detail to help you understand the strategies insurers may use to try and reduce your payout.

Potential Compensation Following E-Scooter or E-Bike Burn Injury

Lithium-ion battery fires can escalate in seconds, burn extremely hot, and release toxic gases. This combination can quickly lead to severe injury, potentially entitling victims to compensation for:

• Medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term care needs
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in life
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Home/vehicle modifications and assistive technologies

When evaluating your damages, it’s important to consider all of the ways, financially, physically, and emotionally, your injury has and may continue to impact your life. Our Providence burn injury attorneys are careful in damage calculations, taking time to ensure the value of your claim is supported with documentation. While we make every effort to resolve these claims quickly, we build cases for the potential of a trial, helping to protect your best interests no matter what direction your claim goes.

Why Choose Our Providence Burn Injury Attorneys?

Madnell, Boisclair & Mandell has been helping injured Rhode Islanders seek justice for more than 50 years. Our firm takes the hard cases on purpose, and our legal team has the background, resources, and tenacity needed to help victims of lithium-ion battery fire injuries secure every penny they are due.

An award-winning law firm with multiple board-certified trial attorneys, we build these cases carefully and with every intent to win. And we work on a contingency basis, which means you only pay for our services after we’ve secured compensation on your behalf.

Locally rooted and nationally recognized, our Providence burn injury attorneys offer:

• Respect and candor
• Thorough claim preparation
• Tireless advocacy
• Client-first focus

We don’t pass claims off or take cases we don’t intend to see through. When you choose us for your legal representation, we hold your needs and desires as top priorities. We are here to handle the particulars of your case and fight for fair compensation while you focus on the more pressing task of recovery.

Schedule a FREE Case Review With a Providence Burn Injury Attorney Today!

If you suffered burn injuries from an e-bike or e-scooter battery fire in Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Newport, or anywhere in Rhode Island, contact Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell for a FREE case review today. Experienced, dedicated, and available, our team is here to listen to your story and help you determine the most effective way to seek the compensation you are due.