Culver city scooter accident lawyers

Electric scooters have taken off as another viable mode of transportation for people in populated urban areas. The scooters have been introduced in locations where traffic and emissions have been considered environmental concerns for some time; wide usage of scooters cuts down on both. The vehicles are meant to function as a supplemental transportation method to cover the “first and last mile” to a destination as opposed to long distance trips. Of course, with the growing popularity of the scooters and the ease of accessibility, there is a rise in accidents and injuries. The scooters are especially used in Culver City, and there have been dozens more accidents than in previous years. If you have been hurt in an accident involving an electric scooter, whether it was manufactured by Bird, Jump, Lime, or Spin, you can take legal action. Our Culver City scooter accident lawyers at the Downtown LA Law Group are qualified to handle your case for you and can win you the maximum settlement available under the law.

Important Information and Laws Regarding Electric Scooters

There are various apps that allow users to search out nearby scooters, see the level of charge they have, and unlock them for use. They can then ride the scooters for a small fee. The ease of locating scooters is one of the largest appeals, as you do not have to go through any rental agency; you simply need to find an unoccupied or unused scooter. Scooters can travel up to 15 mph and do not have any safety features on them. They merely have a brake system, but other than that, riders are wide open to injuries. This is one of the drawbacks of scooters and is one of the main reasons that helmets are mandated. In fact, certain companies handed out helmets free of charge to riders who requested them. This is a much cheaper option than buying your own helmet, especially if you use the scooters often. Using the scooters is already cheap, given that it costs $1 to unlock them There are various rules that scooter companies have introduced and other laws that legislators have enacted to ensure the safety and proper use of the scooters. A few of the laws include:

• You must be 18 years old to ride
• You must have a valid driver’s license to ride
• You may not ride on the sidewalk or on any roads where the speed limit exceeds 25 mph
• Do not wear headphones while riding
• Do not tandem ride or have more than one person on a scooter at a time
• Do not hold on to the rears of any other vehicles
• Keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times
• Only ride during the day
• Ride within proper bike lanes
• Do not leave scooters parked in unlawful spaces, in the street, blocking sidewalks or walkways, blocking exits and doorways to buildings, and anywhere else that can potentially be a hazard
• Do not ride while under the influence of alcohol or any illicit or mind-altering substance
• Always wear a helmet

These laws are designed to keep you safe and to protect those around you while you’re on the scooter. For example, riding on the sidewalk can make it precarious for pedestrians, while recklessly operating the scooter can cause riders to lose control and get hurt. This is especially dangerous when sharing the road with other vehicles in traffic; a lack of attention can lead to a fatal incident. One of the largest issues with laws and scooter riders is that the majority of individuals do not adhere to the regulations at all, but law enforcement officers do not hand out tickets to every offender. It would be nearly impossible to catch and stop every rider who breaks the rules, especially when many scooter rides are only a handful of minutes long.

Causes of Electric Scooter Accidents

Electric scooter accidents can happen for a number of reasons, some of which are attributed to the error of riders while others are due to the negligence of drivers or other parties. The root cause can influence who can be held liable for the incident, and therefore, who can be sued in the event of injuries. A few causes include:

• Scooter defects, like broken brakes, locked wheels, shot electronic systems, display failure, handlebar failure, loose screws, and more, can cause the vehicles to break in the middle of a ride
• Car accidents, which may happen when scooter riders are in bike routes and not bike lanes, when riders are in blind spots when cars turn or change lanes, and when riders are passing through intersections or crosswalks
• Riding on sidewalks and in areas with congested or high foot traffic, which may lead to scooter riders crashing into pedestrians, children, bicyclists, and more
• Road defects, which can cause scooters to get caught in cracks and potholes, make riders not see or be aware of hidden driveways, proceed through poorly lit roads, and more
• Poorly parked scooters, which can cause pedestrians to trip, bicyclists and other scooters to flip, cars to run them over and lose control, and more
• Reckless scooter riders, who may disregard traffic laws, ride while drunk or under the influence, use their phones while riding, and much more

Scooter riders have to face many risks when on the road. It is up to each rider to be extremely cautious and careful while traveling; one simple mistake or slip up can result in a devastating accident.

Injuries from Scooter Accidents

Depending on the type of scooter accident, you may be greatly injured. Some accidents can result in less serious injuries by virtue of speed and location. For example, a crash with a pedestrian may result in you falling from the scooter and spraining your ankle. On the other hand, a crash with a moving vehicle can cause you to be flung from the scooter and suffer numerous broken bones. Some of the injuries we have seen in electric scooter accidents include:

• Fractures
• Internal organ damage
• Sprains
• Dislocations
• Torn muscles
• Nerve damage
• Knee and hip injuries
• Foot and ankle damage
• Spinal cord and disc injuries
• Neck damage
• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries and closed head injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Blunt force trauma
• CRPS
• Paralysis

Fortunately, the fatality rate involving scooters is very law, but this could very well be due to the small sample size and negligible amount of people riding the scooters. If there were as many scooter riders as there were motor vehicle operators, the numbers would likely climb drastically. Many injuries occur because of the total lack of safety features. There is no seatbelt on a scooter, which is necessary to prevent people from being dragged if the scooter is hit. Helmets can prevent many head injuries, but the rest of the body is exposed and vulnerable. Some individuals may wear thick clothing and, kneepads, and protective gear, but the majority of people do not.

Legal Action for a Scooter Accident Claim

If you wish to file a lawsuit for a scooter accident, you must be able to show that a party was negligent and caused you harm. To do this, you must prove four points: that you were owed a duty of care, the duty of care was breached, the breach of duty resulted in an accident, and the incident resulted in physical injuries. If any of these points are shown to be false, the whole claim will fall apart. You will also need ample evidence to file a claim. This evidence can consist of photographs of your injuries, surveillance videos, footage of the accident, medical receipts and doctor’s notes, pictures of the scene of the accident, a screenshot of your ride information, insurance and contact information of the individual involved in the accident with you, a copy of the police report, witness statements and testimonies, and more. Once you have gathered all of this information, you can reach out to an attorney who will be glad to help you with your case. You will be able to rest while a lawyer writes the letter to demand compensation and negotiates a fair deal. Let our firm assist you with your scooter accident claim.

Statute of Limitations for Scooter Accident Claims

The statute of limitations to file a lawsuit against the responsible party for a scooter accident, whether it’s the manufacturer, a driver, or anyone else, is 2 years from the date of the injury. If you do not file a claim within this time period, you will not be able to pursue legal action. Your claim will be thrown out and you would be unable to collect any compensation. There are some exceptions to the statute of limitations. Those who were underage at the time of the crash can wait until they turn 18 years old, while those who were left physically or mentally incapacitated can wait until they return to functioning health. If the defendant leaves the state, you could also wait until he returns, as the statue would be suspended. Many claims fail to get filed because individuals miss crucial dates. With the help of a lawyer, you will not run the risk of missing anything.

How We Help

Our team of Culver City scooter accident lawyers will be able to secure you the compensation you need if you were involved in a crash. We will do everything in our power to win you the necessary restitution. Our aggressive lawyers are qualified and skilled in scooter accident cases. We are willing to go to court if necessary to prove your rights in front of a judge and jury. Get in touch with our law firm for a free legal consultation where you can ask us whatever you wish. Our consultations are all confidential and none of your private information will be released anywhere. We will also tell you more about our zero fee guarantee, which will ensure that you do not have to pay us anything for our legal services. We’ll cover the costs of the case from start to finish. If we win, we will take a portion of the settlement as our payment; if we lose, we will not get paid at all from anyone. The experienced attorneys at the Downtown LA Law Group can file your scooter accident lawsuit for you and strive to win you coverage for everything you need, from medical bills and property damage to lost income and pain and suffering.