August 4, 2012 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
Multiple California companies are facing product liability litigation after two motorcyclists were severely injured in separate accidents. One motorcyclist said that he suffered serious injuries when his motorcycle neck brace failed, whereas the other motorcyclist claims that a faulty motorcycle brake part caused a crash on a Los Angeles Freeway.
In California, injured consumers can hold manufacturers liable for injuries that arise out of the foreseeable use of their products. Product liability cases generally fall under three main theories: failure to warn of known hazards or inadequate instructions, manufacturing defects, and product design defects.
The first lawsuit alleges product design and manufacturing defects. The case was filed against Leavitt Corporation and Cycle Gear Inc. by a Nevada resident who crashed at the Sandy Valley Motocross. The motocross racer alleged that his Leatt Moto GPX neck brace failed and that he sustained severe personal injuries as a result. He seeks damages for medical bills, emotional suffering and pain, and lost wages.
The second lawsuit was filed against a Los Angeles bike parts store called Cycle Trends and a company called Bike Master. That lawsuit alleges that the motorcyclist bought a defective bike brake lever from Cycle Trends that caused the front wheel of his motorcycle to lockup unexpectedly on the highway. The motorcyclist was flung from his bike and suffered severe injuries to most of his body. He is seeking medical expenses as well as damages for lost future wages caused by his diminished physical capacity.