3 Reasons Why You May Have a Trek Bicycle Injury Lawsuit

One Trek bicycle rider became a quadriplegic after enduring an accident on his bike. Another fractured a wrist, and a third suffered facial injuries.

Trek Bicycles received reports that these three injuries were related to a quick-release lever or “skewer” that became lodged in the disc brake. The company acted on the information and has since recalled nearly a million bicycles to replace the levers—but some of those bicycles are over 10 years old.

If you were injured on one of these bicycles, you may be eligible to file a trek bicycle injury lawsuit.

Trek Recalls Nearly a Million Bikes

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), trek bicycles that are equipped with front disc brakes and have quick release levers on the front wheel hub are likely to be involved in this recall.

The problem is that the lever, if not adjusted properly, can open far enough (a full 180 degrees from the closed position) to come into contact with the brake. The wheel stops turning or separates from the bike frame. The rider is likely to be pitched over the handlebars or to otherwise become injured.

Trek claims that the lever is not defective, yet they are replacing it with another lever that does not pose the same risk. The recall involves bicycles from model years 2000 through 2015 that, according to the CPSC, have “front disc brakes and a black or silver quick release lever on the front wheel hub that opens far enough to contact the disc brake.” The lever must be capable of opening a full 180 degrees from the closed position.

The recall affects about 900,000 bikes in the U.S. and 98,000 in Canada.

3 Reasons to Consider Filing a Trek Injury Lawsuit

Consumers may ask why Trek waited so long to implement the recall, considering the lever has been on the bikes since 2000. The company claims it only recently became aware of any potential problem with the part.

Other riders may have been similarly injured, and just didn’t report the incidences. Those who were may be eligible to file a lawsuit for the following three reasons:

1. They own a bike that’s involved in the recall: Consumers who own a Trek bike named in the recall (see the CPSC site and the Trek Safety Recall Notice for more details) have been unknowingly at risk for injury since purchasing the bicycle.
2. They suffered serious injuries as a result of riding the bike: Consumers who suffered an accident in which the front wheel suddenly stopped or the bike stopped for an unknown reason may not have realized that it was the lever that caused the accident.
3. They have evidence of the accident/injuries: Consumers who have records of medical treatments they received after the bike accident, as well as any other evidence indicating the quick-release lever may have been involved, may be able to use this evidence to support their claims in court.

Consumers may have noticed, for instance, that the lever was caught in the disc rotor after the accident, or that the wheel came off for seemingly no reason.

Those who believe they may have been involved in an accident that was caused by the defective lever, and who suffered serious injuries as a result, are encouraged to talk to a lawyer about their rights. Though it seems Trek is taking the proper action with regard to the injuries reported, they had a responsibility to be sure their bikes were well designed in the first place. Replacement parts are fine, but the question remains—why weren’t these improved parts installed on the bikes years ago?