Electric rental scooters are the latest transportation craze, with companies like Bird, Lime, and other e-scooter start-ups driving demand for the convenience, cost-efficiency, and fun sharable scooters offer. Although e-scooters have made their way into numerous cities across the country, concerns about their safety are growing, as are the number of accidents and injuries being suffered by riders and others who travel public roads and walkways.
E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise
As media outlets have been reporting, e-scooter accidents are becoming increasingly more common nationwide. According to an article from Business Insider, those accidents are also inundating hospitals and emergency rooms with injured victims, with some ER departments in major metro areas seeing upwards of 10 scooter-related injuries per day. Doctors treating those victims, according to the Washington Post, also note they’re seeing injuries medical professionals normally associate with car wrecks, such as:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones and skull fractures
- Severe dental / facial injuries
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
These types of injuries can have a significant impact on victims and their loved ones, causing not only pain and suffering and the need for serious and expensive treatment, but also a greater potential for long recoveries, severe and lasting impairment, and various emotional and financial repercussions.
What an E-Scooter Accident Looks Like
Just as with car wrecks, accidents involving sharable e-scooters can take many different forms. These dockless two-wheel scooters, which can travel at speeds around 15 mph, also put more than just riders at risk. Common scenarios include:
- Single-rider scooter accidents, including those caused by improperly maintained scooters, poorly maintained roadways or sidewalks, and negligent property owners
- Defective scooters which can break or malfunction while being ridden or charged, which increase risks of crashes, fires, property damage, and burn injuries
- Scooter riders being struck by motor vehicles, including those operated by negligent, drunk, or distracted drivers.
- Pedestrian injuries caused by negligent scooter riders or abandoned scooters that become tripping hazards
Though the increase in accidents and injuries may have a lot to do with the novelty of scooters and their rapid proliferation in major cities, safety critics have warranted concerns. This includes a lack of regulations which specifically address e-scooters and riders’ obligations, as well as the need to ensure e-scooter companies take necessary steps to protect the safety of customers and the public. A rising number of e-scooter injury lawsuits may help fuel those efforts.
E-Scooter Accidents & Injury Claims
If you or someone you love have been injured in an accident involving a sharable e-scooter, whether you have the right to seek justice and compensation for your losses will depend on the unique facts and circumstances involved. Generally, personal injury claims are intended to provide victims with the opportunity to hold at-fault parties accountable for negligent and wrongful acts, and liable for resulting damages, provided victims are able to prove a few essential elements.
Though every case is different, you may have a potential claim if you were injured as a result of another’s negligence. Common examples of defendants named in these cases include:
- A negligent motorist
- A negligent e-scooter rider
- E-scooter companies
- Manufacturers of e-scooter products or batteries
- Negligent property owners
- Public entities (such as in cases of city bus accidents
At Todd Miner Law®️, our Orlando personal injury lawyers can review your case during a free consultation, explain your rights and available options, and discuss how we can guide you through the personal injury claim process. Speak with an attorney today by calling 407-894-1480 or contacting us online.
