In recent years, the use of electric scooters for entertainment and transportation purposes has increased exponentially. In most major cities, one may find electric scooter rentals with little difficulty. It’s easy to recognize the convenience of electric scooters offering pedestrians the ability to move within cities with little effort. However, most scooter rental facilities provide limited information on operation and safety protocols. As a result, scooter accidents have also exponentially increased. If involved in a scooter accident, contact a scooter accident attorney to discuss your options for recovery.
How Common Are Scooter Accidents?
Scooter accidents occur more commonly today than ever. If you live in a large city, take a look out the window to see multiple people riding electric scooters as a transportation method. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), most Lime and other scooter accidents occur on sidewalks, not the street. In most major cities, laws do not permit electric scooter operation on sidewalks. However, the conduct continues, resulting in the increased possibility of injury to pedestrians by scooter riders. Common causes of scooter accidents vary. However, many common causes include:
- Mechanical defects in the scooter;
- Road hazards like potholes, falling branches, and poles;
- Scooter operator collisions with pedestrians, vehicles, and other scooter operators; and
- Trips and falls associated with failure to clear a scooter properly.
Scooter riders are often not the only parties injured when a scooter accident occurs. In many situations, it’s an innocent pedestrian injured due to a scooter rider’s conduct.
Laws Regarding Scooters
Due to the recent sudden increase in electric scooter usage in most major cities, many states have yet to adopt electric scooter usage laws. However, in Indianapolis, Indiana, electric scooter riders may not ride their scooter on the sidewalk. Electric scooter riders must ride in the street and follow all traffic laws. For example, while they may ride in the bike lane, they may not travel the wrong way on a one-way street and must operate their electric scooter with the normal traffic flow. Additionally, when parking an electric scooter on the sidewalk, riders must leave four feet of an unobstructed passageway and should not block:
- Accessible parking zones or spaces for people with disabilities,
- Bus stops,
- Curb ramps,
- Driveways,
- Entrances or exits of buildings, and
- Loading zones.
A scooter accident lawyer can advise on laws to prevent scooter accidents and avoid interruption to businesses or accessibility issues for others. A scooter accident attorney assesses the facts of the situation to determine whether the cause of your injuries may have been a failure to abide by scooter laws.
Common Injuries from Scooter Accidents
Injuries commonly suffered by individuals involved in scooter accidents may be minor. However, in many situations, injuries can be serious. A list of common injuries suffered after a scooter accident include the following:
- Concussions,
- Skull fractures,
- Scalp wounds,
- Traumatic brain injuries,
- Facial injuries, and
- Spinal cord injuries.
Many injuries in the above non-exhaustive list may affect you for the rest of your life. If you are injured in a scooter accident, a scooter accident lawyer can help you recover from your losses and injuries.
Over $500 Million in Recoveries
After a car accident, I was left completely blind in one eye. I wasn’t sure who to turn to until I spoke with Gerling Law. From the beginning, I was completely blown away with the service I received at the firm. My attorney, Nikki Roby, and her paralegal, Jennifer Bland, were fantastic. Both my friend and I had to go through the process and we both were more than satisfied. I cannot say enough about how awesome the team was throughout the whole case. I would recommend Gerling Law to my friends, family, or anyone in need of an attorney for any injury - Anne S.
Who Is Liable?
After a scooter accident injury, you may be wondering, Who is liable? A scooter company’s insurance policy may not cover most of your injuries suffered in a scooter accident. Most of these companies likely require users to assume all liability when using their scooters. Therefore, if you suffer an injury while riding a scooter, your medical injuries likely receive coverage through your health insurance plan. However, in the situation where your injuries result from someone else’s operation of a scooter, a scooter accident attorney may assist in determining who is responsible for your damages.
You must prove negligence to hold another liable for the injuries you suffered due to a scooter accident. Indiana uses a modified comparative fault system when assessing damages as a result of scooter accidents. Therefore, even if you were partially at fault for the scooter accident, the law still allows you to recover some compensation for your losses. Once your percentage of fault is determined, the overall claim value is reduced by this percentage.
In some situations, you may be able to recover under the doctrine of negligence per se. Negligence per se provides that an act is negligent if it violates a statute, law, or regulation. For example, if an individual rides a scooter on the sidewalk, in violation of scooter laws, and collides with you, a pedestrian, you may recover under negligence per se.
What Can I Recover?
Multiple factors determine the amount of damages you may recover as a result of your scooter accident. These include the following criteria:
- The permanence of your injuries;
- The amount of time you were out of work due to your injuries;
- The cost of your medical bills;
- The expected price of your future medical bills;
- Whether your injury prevents you from participating in activities you enjoyed before;
- Whether your injury caused psychological distress; and
- Whether the defendant acted with gross negligence or wanton misconduct.
A Lime scooter accident lawyer carefully analyzes these facts in your scooter accident case to give you the best chance for a favorable recovery for your injuries.
Contact Us
After a severe scooter accident, the attorneys at Gerling Law work to alleviate your mounting stress and set you on the road to recovery. Our firm exists for one reason: to pursue justice for you, no matter what. We are a leading personal injury law firm and understand the laws surrounding scooter accidents. Our firm has recovered over $500 million for our clients. For over 50 years, Gerling Law has helped thousands of clients.
Our experienced scooter accident attorneys work for you in the aftermath of your scooter accident. Contact the attorneys at Gerling Law Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation with an experienced member of our team. Remember,
