Electric Scooter Accident Lawyers

Electric scooters (or “e-scooters”) have exploded in popularity in recent years; they now dot sidewalks in at least 100 cities. Unfortunately, the same thing that makes e-scooters so appealing — anyone can hop on and start riding — can also make them a menace.

From 2014 to 2018, nearly 3,300 people were hospitalized with scooter-related injuries. These weren’t just scrapes and bruises; many of these patients had broken bones or head trauma. Some of them even died. As lawmakers play catchup, e-scooters will continue to proliferate, leading to even more injuries.

Here is what you need to know about e-scooter injuries, and what you can do if you are hurt in an e-scooter collision.

Common E-Scooter Injuries

The word “scooter” does not typically evoke terror, but there are many reasons for concern when it comes to rentable e-scooters. Many of these vehicles lack basic safety features, and while scooter companies encourage riders to wear helmets, not everyone complies. Moreover, mixing scooters, cyclists, cars, and pedestrians can make for murky traffic laws and hectic, even hazardous interactions.

Here are some of the injuries that can result from an e-scooter crash:

• Cuts and bruises
• Broken bones
• Traumatic head injury
• Punctured lung
• Death

It may seem far-fetched, but e-scooters have been linked to at least 11 deaths since January 2018, including that of a five-year-old boy in Oklahoma.

Who Is at Fault in an E-Scooter Accident?

Someone who is injured in an e-scooter incident may be able to hold the driver of the scooter and/or the company who owns it accountable. To do so, they’ll need to prove negligence, which is the legal term for liability or responsibility for an injury. Negligence is comprised of the following criteria:

• The other party owed you a duty of care, which they breached. They were supposed to operate their vehicle safely, they failed to do so, and as a result, you were harmed.
• You suffered losses because of their negligence — for example, physical harm, financial losses, emotional distress, property damage, etc.

The above elements form the foundation of a solid personal injury lawsuit. If you’re not sure if your situation meets these criteria, a licensed attorney should be able to help.