Recently, Electric Scooters have popped up all over Southern California cities as an easy means of transportation and a way to avoid getting stuck in heavy traffic. Many cities, including Los Angeles, have been engaged in “scooter wars” with the largest scooter companies over the idea of having thousands of scooters dropped along on city streets and sidewalks. Many cities have limited the number of scooters, but only a few have ban them entirely.
Last year, The Washington Post reported, that as scooter use increased in major cities across the United States, so did trips to the emergency room for scooter-related injuries, many of these injuries being very serious. Injuries from scooter accidents can include “broken noses, wrists and shoulders, facial lacerations and fractures, as well as the kind of blunt head trauma that can leave brains permanently damaged.” In addition to injury risks, if a scooter rider is hit by a car, death can be a risk.
Recently, a man riding an electric scooter was killed after he was hit by a car in Chula Vista. According to KRON 4 News, the driver of the car stayed at the scene to cooperate with police and investigators have not yet determined who was at fault in the accident. If it is determined that the driver was at fault in hitting the scooter rider, family members of the scooter driver can bring a wrongful death claim on behalf of the victim against the driver.
Scooters vs. Cars
As was seen in the above case, when a scooter and car collide, it is especially harmful to the scooter rider. The dangers of Scooter riding are many including the fact that Scooter riders are less visible to car drivers, there is no barrier between the scooter rider and the road, scooters are less stable than vehicles, and have a greater likelihood of being impacted by road conditions—cracks, gravel, debris.
Still, it is important to remember that if you are involved in a scooter/car accident, if the car driver caused the accident by not paying attention or driving carelessly, that driver is responsible for your injuries. The driver, typically through their car insurance, will be responsible for covering the costs associated with any injuries. If, like in the case above, a loved one is killed in a scooter/car collision due to no fault of their own, the family can bring a claim for wrongful death damages against the driver.
Electric Scooter accidents can be complicated, so if you are injured while riding an electric scooter or you lose someone you love in a scooter-related accident, you should speak to an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney right away. At Walch Law, our attorneys have years of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Southern California. We can assist in the proper investigation of your case to help determine who is a fault so you can get compensation from responsible parties. Though the big scooter companies have claimed they are not liable for scooter injuries, if you are hit by a car while riding a Bird scooter or a Lime scooter, we will seek full compensation from all responsible parties for your injuries and damages. Contact Walch Law today at 866-465-8792 for a free case consultation to get the advice you need!