In 2018, electric scooters have taken the country by storm, and many of the companies are headquartered right here in San Francisco. They’ve come and gone but in the northern California area, we have five major scooter providers: Skip, Scoot, Bird, Lime and Spin.
Contact us after any Scooter Injury
Bay Area Bicycle Law is the only personal injury law firm in northern Califonia focused exclusively on bicycle accidents (and scooter) accidents. Years of advocacy for bicycle victims have seasoned our attorneys with the necessary skills, knowledge base and familiarity to handle bicycle accidents cases to the upmost level of professional expertise. The laws regarding traffic collisions apply very differently when a scooter is involved.
What is an Electric Scooter?
In short, the California Vehicle Code defines a motorized scooter as any two-wheeled device that has handlebars and a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon while riding and is powered by an electric motor. Dockless, electric scooter sharing and rental is a relatively new transportation method in northern California. If you haven’t seen any of these motorized scooters yet, it’s inevitable that you will. Bird’s scooters, for example, are black with a white label on the front that says “Bird” in black letters. To become a Bird user, just load the app, send over photos of the front and back of your drivers license and provide a credit card number. You must be 18 years of age or older. You’ll have access to Bird electric scooters anywhere that they might be available. They cost $1 per ride plus 15 cents per mile. Here’s how the Bird electric scooter transportation option works, and Lime’s is very similar.
Scooter Crashes:
Like motorcyclists and bicyclists, if they’re in a crash, scooter users are exposed and highly vulnerable to injuries. They present an even smaller and lower profile than a bicycle. Many drivers just don’t see them, or they don’t see them until it’s too late, especially as the sun begins to set. When making left or right turns, drivers of motor vehicles might crash into a scooter rider. Riders might also get sideswiped. A scooter user was involved in an accident with a car in Santa Monica just last week. She suffered serious head injuries. Here are some of the injuries that riders might suffer:
- Traumatic brain and spinal cord damage.
- Facial fractures and dental injuries.
- Fractures of the lower extremities.
- Hand, wrist and arm fractures.
- Shoulder dislocations and tears.
- Damage to internal organs.
- Road rash and infection.
Compensation after a Scooter Crash:
Many of the most popular areas for scooters are also popular for motorists too. The likelihood for scooters becoming involved in accidents increases in those areas. Our objective is to obtain compensation for the damages that scooter riders suffer after they’ve been hit by careless and negligent drivers. Those damages can consist of items like medical bills, lost earnings, any permanent disfigurement or disability, pain and suffering and loss of a normal life.
Contact Bay Area Bicycle Law.
If you were injured in an accident on a motorized scooter in or around San Francisco due to the carelessness and negligence of somebody else, contact us right away. Don’t give a statement to the insurer of the person who hit you. It will only try to shift liability over onto you in the future through your own words. Instead, contact our offices as soon as possible to arrange for a free consultation and case review.