Identify the Product and Describe the Failure Precisely
Record the brand, model, serial number, battery model, charger, rental vehicle number, and any visible component markings. Describe exactly what happened: the brake lever may have lost resistance, a wheel may have detached, the handlebar may have shifted, the frame may have cracked, the throttle may have accelerated unexpectedly, or the battery may have overheated or ignited. Avoid deciding the engineering cause before the device is examined.
Photograph the product from multiple angles and keep broken parts if it is safe to do so. Preserve purchase or rental records, packaging, manuals, charger information, repair invoices, app history, and messages. Those records help connect the physical product to your incident and show who sold, rented, serviced, or distributed it.
Keep Recall Information in Context
A product claim may involve a design defect, manufacturing defect, or warning issue depending on the evidence. A recall or safety notice can provide useful context, but it does not automatically prove that your individual device was defective or that a defect caused your physical injuries. The actual product, product identity, failure sequence, and medical record still matter.
If the device had been repaired, modified, or maintained before the incident, keep that history. A manufacturer, retailer, rental company, repair shop, installer, or user action can each be relevant depending on the facts. Preserve the complete chain rather than assuming one company must be responsible.
Connect the Failure to Your Crash and Physical Injuries
Tell your medical providers how the failure affected your movement. A sudden brake loss may cause a collision, a steering failure may throw you sideways, a frame or wheel failure may cause a hard fall, and a battery event may cause burns or smoke exposure. Keep imaging, surgery records, burn treatment, therapy, neurological care, and work restrictions.
Document the human impact separately from property damage to the device. Keep wage records, missed shifts, transportation costs, home assistance, and evidence of activities you can no longer perform. If you suffer permanent scarring, mobility loss, or neurological problems, preserve the long-term treatment and functional evidence that shows how your life changed.
Handle Battery and Rental Evidence Safely
A damaged lithium battery can remain hazardous after the incident. Do not charge, open, puncture, transport, or store a damaged battery in an unsafe way merely to preserve evidence. Follow qualified safety guidance and keep photographs, serial information, charger details, and records showing where the device or battery was taken.
If you were using a rental e-bike or e-scooter, save the app trip record, vehicle identifier, start and end time, location, payment confirmation, photographs, and support messages. California operating rules for e-bikes and motorized scooters can vary by device and circumstances, so preserve the facts of your ride without turning uncertain equipment rules into assumptions about fault.