Massachusetts Bicycle & E-Bike Accident Lawyer

Cyclists and e-bike riders have little protection when a car, truck or open door gets in the way. Crashes on North Shore roads often cause fractures, head injuries and long recoveries. Muggeo & Associates represents bicycle and e-bike riders injured by negligent drivers, dangerous road conditions and defective bikes and batteries, and families who have lost someone in a crash. Read our related articles on bicycle accident rights in Massachusetts and e-bike accident claims.

Bicycle and E-Bike Cases We Handle

Collisions with cars and trucks, including right hooks, left turns across a bike lane, unsafe passing and rear-end crashes.
Dooring, when a driver or passenger opens a door into a rider’s path.
Delivery, rideshare and commercial vehicle crashes involving company drivers.
Hit-and-run crashes and claims under uninsured motorist coverage.
E-bike and e-scooter crashes, including questions about how the vehicle is classified and which insurance applies.
Defective bikes, e-bikes and batteries, including brake, frame and fork failures and battery fires. See our product liability page.
Road and path defects such as potholes, unmarked construction, debris and poorly designed bike lanes.
Serious injuries and wrongful death, including brain injuries and fatal crashes.

Massachusetts Laws That Protect Riders

Safe passing: Since April 1, 2023, drivers must give vulnerable road users, including people on bicycles, at least four feet when passing, and may use an adjacent lane to do so when safe.
Dooring: Opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist is a traffic violation under G.L. c. 90, § 14.
E-bike classes: Massachusetts recognizes Class 1 (pedal-assist) and Class 2 (throttle) e-bikes with motors of 750 watts or less that stop assisting at 20 mph. They are not motorized bicycles, so no license is required, and riders generally have the same rights as bicyclists. They may not be ridden on sidewalks, and local rules can limit their use on paths.
Comparative negligence: Riders can recover if they were not more than 50 percent at fault, with damages reduced by their share.
No-fault benefits: PIP benefits of up to $8,000 are available for many riders struck by motor vehicles, and a rider who meets the medical-expense or serious-injury threshold can also pursue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering.

What to Do After a Bicycle or E-Bike Crash

Call 911, get medical care, and ask that a police report be made.
Photograph the scene, vehicles, the bike, your injuries, road conditions and any open door or obstruction.
Get names, phone numbers, plates and insurance information for drivers and witnesses.
Keep the bike, helmet, battery, charger and damaged gear exactly as they are.
Look for nearby video cameras, such as doorbells, storefronts and buses, and act fast because footage is often overwritten.
Notify your auto insurer about PIP, and do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before getting advice.

Serving Salem and the North Shore

We represent injured riders in Salem, Peabody, Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Swampscott, Gloucester, Newburyport and throughout Massachusetts. See all areas we serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays my medical bills after a bike or e-bike crash with a car?

Massachusetts personal injury protection (PIP) benefits from an auto policy can pay up to $8,000 for medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault, when a cyclist is struck by a motor vehicle. Depending on the facts, the benefits may come from your household’s auto policy or the policy on the vehicle that hit you. Health insurance and the at-fault driver’s liability coverage may also apply.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault?

Yes, in many cases. Under Massachusetts comparative negligence law, G.L. c. 231, § 85, an injured person can recover if they were not more than 50 percent at fault, but the award is reduced by their share of fault.

Are e-bikes treated like bicycles in Massachusetts?

Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, which have motors of 750 watts or less and stop assisting at 20 mph, generally have the same rights and duties as bicycles and do not require a license or registration. Faster or more powerful machines may be treated as motorized bicycles or other motor vehicles with different rules and insurance consequences.

What if my e-bike battery caught fire or the bike failed?

Defective e-bikes, batteries, chargers, brakes and frames can support product liability claims against manufacturers, distributors and sellers, including claims for breach of the implied warranty of merchantability. Keep the bike, battery, charger and packaging, and do not let anyone dispose of them.

How long do I have to file a bicycle or e-bike injury claim?

Most Massachusetts personal injury claims must be filed within three years. Claims involving a road defect or a public entity can have much shorter notice deadlines, sometimes as short as 30 days, so get advice quickly.

Injured while riding? Call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177 or request a consultation.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Last reviewed November 2026.

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