What is a faulty e-bike claim?
A faulty e-bike claim is a product-liability claim — a claim that a defect in the e-bike made it unsafe and caused your injury. It is different from a road-traffic claim: here the target is not another road user but the business responsible for the defective product.
Who is liable for a defective e-bike?
Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, a claim can be brought against the producer of a defective product — and, in many cases, the importer who brought it into the UK, or a business that put its own brand on it. This is a form of strict liability: you do not always have to prove carelessness, only that the product was defective and caused the harm. A claim against the shop that sold it may also be possible.
What counts as a defect?
Broadly, a product is defective if it is not as safe as people are generally entitled to expect. With e-bikes that can include:
- Brakes that fail or are inadequate for the bike’s weight and speed.
- A motor that surges, cuts out or engages unexpectedly.
- A frame, fork, stem or wheel that cracks or fails.
- Poor design, dangerous assembly, or missing safety warnings.
Preserve the e-bike — do not repair or throw it away
In a product-liability claim the e-bike itself is often the most important piece of evidence. If you can, keep it exactly as it is, do not have it repaired or scrapped, and hold on to your receipt, any manuals and any recall or safety notices. Photograph the failed part before anything is moved.
How long do I have to claim?
In England & Wales there is generally a three-year limit for personal injury claims under the Limitation Act 1980, usually from the date of injury or when you first linked the injury to the defect. Product-liability claims can also carry a longer stop-date measured from when the product was supplied, so it is worth checking your position early.