Pedego E-bike Lawsuit: Florida Woman Sues After Sudden Acceleration Crash

A Palm Beach woman has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Pedego, a major e-bike company, after her Pedego e-bike suddenly took off while she was on it, sending her crashing into a fence.

Plaintiff Renee Govig filed the lawsuit against Pedego LLC on July 25 in a Florida federal court, alleging the company was negligent in selling her a defective e-bike, and that it is liable for damages.

“As a direct and proximate result of defendant Pedego’s conduct, the Plaintiff in this case incurred significant and painful bodily injuries, medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, wage loss, and diminished enjoyment of life,” the lawsuit states.

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E-bike malfunction leads to serious injury, lawsuit claims

On August 1, 2020, Govig and her partner purchased a Pedego City Commuter Electric Bike from a Pedego Electric Bikes retail location in Juno Beach, Florida, she says. 

Just ten days later, while riding in a bike lane, Govig alleges the e-bike suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated, causing her to crash into a nearby fence and slide along the pavement. The incident resulted in a closed fracture of her proximal right humerus, requiring surgical intervention and extensive follow-up care, the lawsuit states.

Govig's case is not isolated, she alleges. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of six Pedego electric bike models, including the City Commuter, in Sept. 2020. The recall came a month after Govig's accident. 

The recall notice cites an "improperly manufactured electrical cable" that could cause the bike to accelerate unexpectedly, posing a potential fall hazard. Pedego's recall statement acknowledged the defects, attributing them to wear and corrosion in the electrical cable connections, Govig points out.

Pedego accused of negligence and prioritizing profits over safety

Her lawsuit alleges that Pedego was aware or should have been aware of these defects but continued to sell the e-bikes without warning consumers of the risks. 

The complaint accuses Pedego of prioritizing “profit over safety,” failing to recall the dangerous products promptly, and neglecting to redesign the faulty electrical cables despite the availability of safer alternatives.

As a direct result of Pedego’s conduct, Govig says she suffered significant injuries, medical expenses, pain and diminished enjoyment of life. She adds that other customers were also put at risk by the alleged defective design and manufacturing of the e-bike, coupled with Pedego's failure to warn and rectify the issues. 

Govig is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages. 

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The lawsuit follows a similar claim filed last year by a California woman, Grace De Haas, who says she was riding her Pedego Black Edition City Commuter electric bicycle when her bike suddenly accelerated on its own, tossing her in the air and sending her crashing into the ground.

She alleges she suffered a disc herniation in her spine, shoulder separation, fractured ribs, vertebral artery damage in her neck and a stroke.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Govig v. Pedego LLC
• Case Number: 9:24-cv-80905-RS
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Lisa A. Gorshe (Johnson Becker, PLLC)

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