Find a defective product lawyer in Tempe: e-bike batteries, recalls and what to keep
Keep the product, then report it. Tempe Fire warns that damaged or defective lithium-ion batteries are particularly at risk of fire. Anyone, including a parent or relative, can file a safety report on SaferProducts.gov. In Arizona you generally have 2 years to sue, and the state sets no cap on injury damages.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (30)
Why do battery fires from e-bikes and scooters matter in Tempe?
Tempe is a city of bikes and scooters, and the city treats them as a safety issue. A City Council subcommittee is studying safety for e-bikes, scooters and other micromobility devices.
Tempe Fire says damaged or defective batteries are particularly at risk. It also says not to leave devices plugged in overnight. Both lines cut two ways: a charger habit can be raised against you, and a defective battery can be the maker's fault.
Call 911 and get out. If a battery caught fire, keep what is left of it and the charger, even if they are burned. Tempe Fire patient care reports can be requested through JustFOIA.
What should you do first after a product hurts you in Tempe?
- Get medical care. Keep every record.
- Keep the product, its box, the charger, manuals and the receipt. Do not repair or clean it.
- Take photos of the product, the damage and the room.
- Report a safety problem on SaferProducts.gov. Cost or quality complaints are not posted.
- Do not give the product to the company or its insurer until a lawyer has looked at it.
After you file, the report is sent to the company within five business days. A company must tell the Commission within 24 hours of getting reportable information. A report is not a recall, and a report does not mean a recall will follow.
Who is responsible when a product hurts you in Arizona?
| Party | What to know | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Arizona law covers any action against a maker or seller for injury from a product | Statute |
| Seller | The maker must cover the seller in many cases | Statute |
| Several companies | Each defendant pays only its own share | Statute |
| Maker's defenses | A change after sale that was not reasonably foreseeable, or a design that met the state of the art when first sold | Statute |
Punitive damages are limited when the product met government standards. Arizona does cut your award if you share blame, but does not bar the claim.
How long do you have to sue over a defective product in Tempe?
Two years in Arizona, the same as for most injury claims. The statute still lists a 12-year cutoff from first sale, but the Arizona Supreme Court declared that cutoff unconstitutional. Time does not run while a child is under 18.
If a government made or sold the product, such as a city vehicle part, the claim is due in 180 days. If Medicare paid your bills, it must be repaid from a settlement.
Where is a product lawsuit filed from Tempe?
In the Maricopa County Superior Court. The Clerk's Southeast Regional Center in Mesa, 222 E. Javelina, lists a civil file counter. Disputes under $50,000 go to mandatory arbitration there. Justice courts handle civil suits up to $10,000.
CPSC covers many everyday products, including appliances, toys, clothing and ATVs. An ATV or e-bike can be both a product claim and a riding claim.
Questions
Can I report a product if I was not hurt?
SaferProducts.gov takes safety complaints from the public, including family, friends and guardians.
Does a recall prove my case?
No. A recall is a public announcement of a hazardous or defective product. It can help, but you still need to show the product caused your harm.
What if the product was old?
Arizona's 12-year cutoff was declared unconstitutional, so age alone does not end a claim. Time starts running when the claim arises.
What if a child was hurt?
Time does not run on a private claim while the child is under 18.
Defective product in Tempe? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (30)
- City of Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, Lithium-Ion Battery Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “Damaged or defective batteries are particularly at risk.”
- SaferProducts.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “SaferProducts.gov is the CPSC-owned website where the public can file and read safety-related complaints about consumer products”
- SaferProducts.gov FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “family members, relatives, parents, guardians, friends”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- Arizona Constitution, art. 18, sec. 6, checked 2026-11-09. “the amount recovered shall not be subject to any statutory limitation”
- City of Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, Lithium-Ion Battery Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “Do not leave devices plugged in overnight.”
- 16 CFR part 1102, checked 2026-11-09. “within five business days of submission of the completed report of harm”
- Arizona Supreme Court, Cronin v. Sheldon (1999), checked 2026-11-09. “Hazine declared unconstitutional the same statute of repose that Bryant upheld”
- City of Tempe, Mobility Device Safety Subcommittee, checked 2026-11-09. “to evaluate and recommend strategies to enhance safety and public awareness for electric bicycles, scooters, and other micromobility devices in the City of Tempe.”
- Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Record requests by phone 480-858-7262”
- SaferProducts.gov FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “relates solely to the cost or quality of a consumer product, will not be posted”
- CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “A company must report to the Commission within 24 hours of obtaining reportable information.”
- CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “does not mean that the Commission will conclude automatically that a corrective action is necessary”
- A.R.S. 12-681, checked 2026-11-09. “means any action brought against a manufacturer or seller of a product for damages for bodily injury, death or property damage”
- A.R.S. 12-684, checked 2026-11-09. “the manufacturer shall indemnify the seller for any judgment rendered against the seller”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-2506, checked 2026-11-09. “the liability of each defendant for damages is several only and is not joint”
- A.R.S. 12-683, checked 2026-11-09. “an alteration or modification of the product that was not reasonably foreseeable”
- A.R.S. 12-683, checked 2026-11-09. “conformed with the state of the art at the time the product was first sold”
- A.R.S. 12-689, checked 2026-11-09. “is not liable for exemplary or punitive damages if any of the following applies”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- A.R.S. 12-551, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be commenced and prosecuted within the period prescribed in section 12-542”
- A.R.S. 12-551, checked 2026-11-09. “more than twelve years after the product was first sold for use or consumption”
- A.R.S. 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- A.R.S. 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- CMS, checked 2026-11-09. “it must be repaid to Medicare when a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment is made”
- Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court, checked 2026-11-09. “File Counter for Civil”
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Arbitration, checked 2026-11-08. “Compulsory Arbitration is a mandatory program for disputes valued under $50,000.”
- Maricopa County Justice Courts, checked 2026-11-08. “small claims up to $5,000, and civil lawsuits for amounts up to $10,000”
- CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “including appliances, toys, clothing, ATVs, and more”
- CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Recalls are the public announcement of a hazardous or defective product.”