In conversation with loss adjuster Leo Kramer

'Internal cooperation strengthens our judgment'

In this article, we speak with one of the loss adjusters at DEKRA Claims & Expertise Experts. We highlight a specific case that our client and we at DEKRA were confronted with. In doing so, we want to provide insight into our working methods, our approach to complex cases, and how we collaborate with internal and external specialists to arrive at a sound, independent assessment.

Case study by loss adjuster Leo Kramer

A large bicycle company received a complaint from a counterparty that the bolt on the seat post of a certain model of bicycle had broken off during use, resulting in injury to the rider. The bicycle company shared this liability claim with its insurance broker, requesting that an independent investigation be conducted. The broker commissioned DEKRA to conduct a further investigation into the cause of the breakage of the seat post in question.

Can you briefly outline what the case was and what role DEKRA played in it?

In this case, DEKRA was commissioned to investigate the technical cause of a broken seat post and to assess whether it was due to a defective product, an assembly error, or another cause. DEKRA acted as an independent expert on behalf of the insurance broker and the liability insurer of the bicycle company.

What were the main technical or legal challenges in this case?

The challenge was to reliably determine the failure mechanism of the bolt (e.g., fatigue, material defect, misuse). In addition, we had to carefully record the facts and circumstances of the accident so that the bicycle manufacturer's liability insurer could assess whether, and if so to what extent, the bicycle manufacturer or a supplier was liable. It was also important to check the circumstances reported by the manufacturer against the damage.

How did you structure the research (step-by-step plan)?

We requested the technical data on the construction of the seat post and the relevant standards, and checked whether the construction of the seat post complied with the applicable standards.

We requested data from the incoming inspection of the failed component and assessed this process.

We have requested the assembly instructions and also the internal checks on these assembly activities.

We spoke with the cook who had been injured after falling off his bike when a bolt on the seat post broke off.

During our visit to the processor, we conducted an initial visual inspection of the broken part, the fracture surfaces, and the signs of wear. We compared this assessment with the circumstances reported by the processor.

We visited the accident site to assess the circumstances of the accident as described.

We submitted the entire seat post and associated parts, including the failed bolt, to DEKRA Rail for further materials testing. DEKRA Rail has a laboratory where the required tests could be carried out.

Analysis by DEKRA Rail of the seat post as a whole and of the failed component.

DEKRA Rail assessed the wear marks and fracture surfaces.

DEKRA Rail's findings were checked against the damage report, the material specifications provided, the bicycle manufacturer's internal checks, and the circumstances provided by the preparer.

Based on the visual assessment of the seat post components, the materials testing conducted by DEKRA Rail, the internal checks carried out by the manufacturer, and the account of the preparer regarding the circumstances, conclusions were drawn about the cause of the seat post failure.

In this case, we collaborated with our internal entity DEKRA Rail for material testing of defective parts. Can you explain why this was done and what the added value was?

DEKRA Rail has specialized laboratory facilities and in-depth knowledge of materials science. By conducting material research at DEKRA Rail, we were able to characterize fracture surfaces in detail (microstructure, wear, corrosion, or fatigue characteristics) and determine that the defect was caused by prolonged misuse by the operator. The visually observed wear marks provided an initial indication of a possible cause of the seat post failure. The materials research allowed this and other possible causes to be investigated.

What were the main findings in this case?

The material investigation revealed that the failed seat post bolt showed signs of fatigue fracture. This, in combination with the observed surface corrosion and wear marks on the steel brackets of the saddle and the seat post components, indicated that this was not a sudden fracture, but rather a gradual weakening of the bolt. There was no material defect or incorrect assembly, but rather incorrect use. The bolts had come loose, allowing the saddle to tilt and move forward and backward for a long period of time. This could have caused a fatigue fracture. The accident could have been prevented if the rider had had the bolts tightened after noticing the play.

How did these findings help in the final settlement with the client (insurer/customer)?

The report substantiated that the defect was not caused by a faulty part or faulty assembly, but that the defect that occurred was caused by incorrect user behavior. This enabled the liability insurer to make a correct assessment of the liability, or rather the lack thereof, of the bicycle manufacturer.

What advice would you give to clients (such as insurers, business relations) with regard to this type of case?

In the event of reports of breakage, we recommend including a material investigation in the investigation.
Ensure that conditions of use are properly recorded and investigated.
In such cases, seek expert advice at an early stage.
Ensure that the client is involved in the research direction at an early stage.

Contact us

We would like to thank loss adjuster Leo Kramer for his explanation of this case. If you, as a client or business relation, have any questions about our working methods, please feel free to contact your regular DEKRA contact person or our expertise department.