Faulty Lime Bikes Spark Wave of Legal Action

Sam Collard

Lime faces wave of legal action after riders suffer serious injuries because of faulty bikes

Bike rental company Lime is facing a wave of legal action after riders suffered serious injuries when their bikes fell apart.

Our specialist cycling accidents solicitors are dealing with 12 cases in London where bike seats fell off or brakes stopped working.

The injuries suffered, range from broken legs, arms and ankles, and dislocated shoulders, through to brain injuries.

                                    

Elliot’s story

Elliot Poole, 31, a systems analyst from South London, launched legal action against Lime after he came off his hired bike when the seat fell off.

Elliot said he became like a ‘zombie’ for two hours after hitting his head in February this year.

He said: “I have no recollection of what happened but apparently, I fell off, hit my head and managed to get home on a bus despite me having no idea what was going on. My wife was really scared as I was asking ‘where am I and how did I get here?’

“I was acting like a zombie and she was understandably terrified that I would be permanently brain damaged. She called an ambulance, and I only really came around three hours after I came off the bike when I was in A&E.

“The loss of memory for that period of time is the most worrying thing for me as it could have been so much worse.”

Elliot suffered a broken thumb, sprained wrist and a head injury, with post-traumatic amnesia.

He added: “I used to be an avid user of Lime bikes and I think they are a useful form of transport, but they aren’t maintained well enough and people like me end up getting hurt. I only realised the seat had fallen off because, when you return a Lime bike, you have to upload a picture to Lime. I asked for the picture from Lime and it showed the seat was by the side of the bike, which isn’t great.

“The crash and particularly the loss of memory really shook me up and my injuries were frustrating and have affected my life. Then there was also the anxiety it caused. It took me a while to get back on a bike.”

The litigation comes after reports that there has been a surge of people breaking their legs in London after Lime bikes fell on their riders, leading to the term ‘Lime bike leg’ being used by doctors who have treated victims.

Sam Collard, our head of cycling accident claims, which represents Elliot said: “Unfortunately Elliott’s case is far from unique as we have seen a steady influx of cases coming to us in the past few months from people wanting to sue Lime for injuries caused by faulty bikes. Some of these injuries are serious and in all cases were avoidable if the bikes had been in working order.

“People like Elliot have a right to be safe on a bike they hire and not be in danger of potentially life changing or worse injuries. I hope Lime settle Elliott’s case, and those of the other 11 clients we have as soon as possible so they can move on with their lives.”

Elliot’s story has been covered by The Standard.

How can we help?

If you’ve been injured while riding a faulty rental bike, you’re not alone. At Osbornes Law, our specialist cycling accident solicitors have a proven track record of holding companies like Lime accountable for unsafe equipment and avoidable injuries. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these accidents can take, and we fight to secure the compensation and justice our clients deserve. If you’ve been hurt, contact Osbornes Law today by:

• Filling in our online enquiry form; or
• Calling us on 020 7485 8811.