PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — State Farm Insurance Company's lawsuit against Rad Power Bikes could be settled later this month after Judge Chad F. Kenney referred the case to another judge to conduct a pre-trial settlement conference on Jan. 17.
Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski will conduct the settlement conference in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. On Oct. 4, State Farm filed on behalf of an insured homeowner client for property damage caused after his Rad Power e-bike caught fire.
According to the order filed on Dec. 13, State Farm and Rad Power can seek a settlement if and when they are in "realistic position to settle and require settlement assistance."
According to the lawsuit, damages were in excess of $250,000. State Farm maintains the damages were the result of Rad Power Bikes' negligence "by and through its employees, agents, technicians, vendors, subcontractors ..."
The lawsuit alleges design, manufacturing, and component defects; use and/or handling instruction and/or warnings defects; and/or a failure to warn about the design, manufacturing, and/or component defects; and/or proper installation instructions. A breach of warranty also is alleged.
A few days after the lawsuit was filed, Rad Power Bikes denied to BRAIN that one of its e-bikes started the residential fire.
