Key West Injury Lawyer Blog
A transportation device that Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has been warning communities about may have been responsible for a Key West fire, according to the city’s Fire Marshal.
Key West Fire Marshal Jason Barroso reminded the community in the Keys Weekly, a weekly newspaper, to be wary of lithium-ion batteries. His reminder comes after an initial assessment showed a local fire may have been caused by an e-bike battery.
The fire happened on Patricia Street on Feb. 25 and had fully engulfed a garage, causing significant damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported but Barroso wanted to remind the community to follow manufacturer’s safety instructions for charging and storing of 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 on E-Bikes
E-bikes have been at the center of controversy all over the country since they gained popularity in 2019, the same year that Mr. Leesfield penned an Op-Ed on what he called “The E-bike Epidemic.”
“They are everywhere, left randomly on streets, sidewalks and alleys, littering our cityscape with unsightly and unusual dangers,” he said. “If you haven’t noticed, greed and stupidity have invaded your everyday life, with a strong promise to make your locomotion more dangerous, fill the emergency rooms with foreseeable hazards, and threaten the overall well-being of the public to fill the coffers of some and the thrills of others.”
These modes of transport can travel much faster than a regular bicycle – about 30 mph – but are still allowed on sidewalks and paths, creating a recipe for disaster, injuring both pedestrians and riders. No minimum age, license or helmet requirements are necessary to use them. Injuries from e-bike incidents have doubled every year since at least 2017, according to data reported in Forbes Magazine. In 2022, e-bike incidents were responsible for over 20,000 emergency room visits in the United States. This was a 21% jump from 2021, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Being unsightly may not be unforgivable, but landing innocent pedestrians or others in a neurosurgical coma is,” Mr. Leesfield said. “Not to mention a slew of other reported serious injuries … Just ask those who work at Hospitals and Emergency rooms or walk-in medical facilities.”
While Mr. Leesfield’s primary concern with these electric bikes has been their potential for causing injuries while in use, the increasing number of fire-related incidents involving their batteries is also a growing cause for concern.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
These lithium-ion batteries, found in most e-bikes and electric vehicles, are known to have issues with fires, according to reports from the CPSC. Electric vehicle fires can burn hotter and longer than gas-powered fires and can be more difficult to put out and pose a significant threat to firefighters. 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 the micro-mobility machines.
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.
E-Bikes in Key West
In January, concerns were flagged about e-bikes in a Key West City Commission meeting. E-bikes are currently allowed in Key West everywhere that regular bikes are allowed, including the road, bike lanes and paths throughout the city. However, when on the road, these bikes are limited to traveling 20 mph and riders must adhere to general traffic laws,
If a rider is under 16 years old, they must wear a helmet. While it is advised for all riders to wear a helmet, there is no requirement for all riders to wear one. Local law enforcement has made recent efforts to hand out helmets and bells to riders, but has been unable to enforce their use.
The issue raised by concerned community members were the dangers that these modes of transport pose to walkers.
Regulations like helmet usage and minimum age and insurance requirements could go a long way to ensure the safety of pedestrians and riders alike, according to Mr. Leesfield.
“[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.”
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners, the personal injury law firm founded by Mr. Leesfield in 1976, brings decades of expertise in personal injury litigation. 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.
