A new phenomenon of accidents is occurring in cities across the United States. E-scooters have appeared on sidewalks everywhere and they are causing injuries in vast numbers. The idea is that you have an easily accessible and affordable mode of transportation for short distances, which is great. However, the majority of people who rent the e-scooters do not wear helmets and ride on sidewalks, despite laws that ban them from doing so. So, who is responsible in an e-scooter accident?
E-Scooter Injuries
Injuries that occur while riding an e-scooter are similar to those you would experience in a bicycle accident. If you are not wearing a helmet, you can experience traumatic or even deadly brain injuries. Is the scooter company to blame? That remains to be seen. Popular e-scooter companies like Bird and Lime are asking riders to sign off on safety protocols and offering free helmets to prevent liability. However, that may not be enough to deal with the accidents that are occurring.
Lawsuits are popping up all over the nation of pedestrians suing Bird, Lime, Segway, and Xiaomi over accidents occurring while they were walking down the sidewalk. The motorized scooters can go quite fast and cause significant injury if they strike a bystander. There aren’t many cases to draw precedent from. However, in 2011 a man was awarded 10 million dollars after he was struck by an e-scooter and suffered a traumatic brain injury. If more courts follow in this direction, the e-scooter industry may need to do more to ensure their scooters are staying off the sidewalk.
Injured in an E-Scooter Accident?
If you have been involved in an e-scooter accident and have suffered injuries, you need a personal injury attorney. Tanya Gomerman is happy to discuss the details of your case with a free evaluation. Contact us to get started today.