Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A fire broke out after an e-bike exploded, severely burning a home in Northwest Miami-Dade over the weekend, according to reporting from WSVN.
Josue Paz, the son of the homeowner, told reporters that he was asleep when an e-bike, which was given to him as a birthday gift, exploded around 10 :30 p.m. Saturday.
Paz said he jumped out of bed and rushed to get his family out of the house.
“It’s upsetting, but, you know, we got the most important thing, which is life,” he said.
At least five people and one dog were in the home, near the 181st block of Northwest 53rd Street, at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported but the home was severely damaged.
The American Red Cross is helping the family. The investigation is ongoing.
Leesfield & Partners
E-bikes have been the cause for concern in cities where their use has become increasingly popular since at least 2019, but that is not just from emergency room visits. (Though the micromobility devices are responsible for about 20,000 emergency room visits annually, with 3,000 people requiring hospitalization, according to the American College of Surgeons.) Reports from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have shown a rising concern related to the product’s lithium-ion batteries.
Fires associated with such batteries can burn hotter and longer than gas-powered fires. They can also be more difficult to put out, posing a significant threat to firefighters and emergency responders. While EV fires occur less frequently than traditional gas fires, they take a considerable amount of time and more water to put out. From January 2021 until November 2022, the CPSC reported at least 19 deaths as a result of fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters.
Fires involving these batteries can break out for a number of reasons including product defects, electrical and physical damage, and exposure to extreme temperatures. To prevent these incidents, homeowners may install a residual current device with the charging unit that will turn off the power if it defects a fault.
Earlier this year in Key West, where Leesfield & Partners has occupied an office on historic Whitehead Street since at least the 1980s, an e-bike battery caused a significant fire. Thankfully, no injuries were reported but officials issued a warning to residents in the area about the necessity of adhering to manufacturers’ safety instructions for charging and storing e-bikes.
“These batteries can overheat, catch fire or even explode, causing the possibility of injuries, fires, and deaths,” officials with the City of Key West Fire Department said in a safety advisory. “In addition, running e-vehicles through standing salt water during high tides can make them unstable.”
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Managing Partner and Founder, has been warning communities about the risks associated with e-bikes for nearly a decade. In previous statements, he has proposed safety measures such as helmet, minimum age and insurance requirements for riders.
“[In Florida,] we regulate the age and education of auto operators and even require insurance,” Mr. Leesfield said. “The E-bike operators and, more importantly, the distributors must play by some rules.”
As the head of a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience, Mr. Leesfield has seen just about every manner of injury that can occur on Florida roads. A key step to ensuring the protection of riders, drivers, pedestrians and others on the roads is prevention.
From bicycle accidents to fire and electrocution incidents, the firm has successfully handled a wide range of injury cases, many of which have led to record-breaking settlements and verdicts statewide. Recognized both locally and nationally, the firm continues to make a significant impact on public safety, working tirelessly to protect future generations.
In regularly speaking out about issues like those he has seen with e-bikes, Mr. Leesfield has become a public safety advocate. Through initiatives like the safety advisories displayed on the digital sign outside the firm’s Miami office on U.S. 1—a major commuter route—he raises awareness on critical safety concerns. Additionally, through The Leesfield Family Foundation, Mr. Leesfield partners with local organizations to tackle pressing issues such as impaired driving, sex abuse, pedestrian safety, and more, reinforcing his commitment to making communities safer for all.
Previous Cases
In a previous electrocution case involving the death of a young girl, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured a $10 million recovery for the child’s family. The girl was playing mini-golf when her ball fell into a nearby pond. When the child reached into the water to retrieve her wayward ball, she was suddenly hit with a jolt of electricity. Her agonizing screams caught the attention of an adult nearby who reached out to pull her away from the water and was shocked as well.
The 11-year-old tragically died from the incident. In an investigation, attorneys discovered that the electrical breakers were improperly installed and the required Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) linked to the decorative fountain on the property was not in use.
The firm previously handled another electrocution case resulting in the death of a client, securing over $5.5 million for the family in that case.
More recently, Eric Shane, a Trial Lawyer at the firm, obtained a $2.25 million recovery for a client who was burned in an electrocution case.
Another electrocution case handled by Leesfield & Partners resulted in a $1.65 million recovery.
In addition to electrocution cases, the firm has also handled an array of tragic fire incidents throughout Florida. In an explosion that caused burns, Leesfield & Partners secured a $3.25 million recovery for the injured client.
A construction site accident that resulted in burns to a Leesfield & partners client resulted in an $862,000 recovery.
In a fire that killed at least one person due to the negligence of a company, Leesfield & Partners secured a $600,00 recovery.
For a patient who was burnt in an operating room due to the negligence of a hospital’s medical staff. Attorneys at the firm secured a $600,000 recovery.
For a couple celebrating their honeymoon, what was meant to be the start of their happy life together soon became a nightmare after an improperly capped pipe caused an explosion at their accommodation. Both were severely burned and, tragically, the wife passed away from her injuries.
The firm secured a multi-million-dollar for the husband in that case.
Leesfield & Partners secured a $2.95 million award for a family who lost their 13-year-old daughter after a TV set caught fire in their home. The manufacturer of the defective television set was named as a defendant in the lawsuit alongside the distributor of a defective smoke alarm and the family’s condominium association, which was named in the lawsuit for safety violations. The father involved in this incident burned over 30% of his body when he tried to rescue his daughter.
