Electric scooters are a popular way to get around Tampa Streets. However, when accidents happen, scooter riders sometimes discover that the scooter company will not pay for their injuries.
Burnett Law, P.A., has been serving clients from our Tampa office for more than 20 years and knows how to pursue fair compensation for your injury. Keep reading to learn how our Tampa scooter accident lawyers can protect your rights and help you or your loved one recover from a scooter accident.
What Does a Tampa Scooter Accident Lawyer Do?
Tampa scooter accident lawyers represent people who have injuries because of scooter accidents. Scooter accident lawyers:
- Investigate accidents
- Determine who is liable for damages
- Help clients file insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits to recover damages
- Gather and present evidence to support their clients’ claims
- Negotiate with insurance companies and opposing counsel
Your lawyer can handle the process of obtaining compensation for you so that you can focus on recovering. Additionally, your lawyer will have access to extensive resources and can hire expert witnesses to prove the defendant’s negligence and increase your odds of receiving compensation.
Your attorney will explain the law to you and advise you about what you should and should not do to protect your rights. Your attorney will also ensure that you do not miss important deadlines, such as the statute of limitations for filing your lawsuit or insurance claim.
What Kinds of Injuries Do Scooter Accidents Cause?
Injuries such as fractures, sprains, strains, and bruising to the head, neck, and upper and lower limbs are the most common. More than 40% of scooter accidents cause head injuries, which can be devastatingly life-altering. Internal injuries and road rash can also occur.
What Kind of Compensation Can a Scooter Accident Lawyer Help You Get?
If another party’s negligence caused your injuries, you can recover:
- The cost of your medical care
- Lost wages due to missed work because of your injuries and any reduced future earnings due to permanent impairment caused by your injuries
- Compensation for emotional distress, pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, disfigurement, and post-traumatic stress disorder
The insurance company or court will base compensation for your medical bills and lost wages on your actual medical expenses and wages. It will estimate the value of your pain and suffering and other non-economic damages. Courts often assign a dollar value based on some percentage of your economic damages, such as three times your medical bills.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Scooter Accidents?
Operator error or unsafe riding practices, such as riding in prohibited areas or riding double, can cause a scooter accident. However, reckless or hazardous actions by motor vehicle operators, such as speeding or driving while impaired, are often the cause.
Because motor vehicles are much larger than scooters and can travel at higher rates of speed, scooter riders can suffer severe injuries in an accident with a vehicle. Other common causes of accidents include manufacturing defects, poor scooter maintenance, uneven pavement, and bad weather or lighting.
Who Is Liable for Scooter Accidents?
The party liable for damages in a scooter accident depends on the facts of the case. Depending on what happened, more than one party could share liability. A scooter accident lawyer can identify the liable parties in your accident.
Scooter Company
The scooter rental company may be liable if it fails to properly inspect, maintain, or repair the scooter and that failure contributes to the cause of the accident. However, many scooter companies require renters to sign a waiver of liability before they rent.
Manufacturer
The scooter manufacturer could be liable if a manufacturing defect or design flaw caused your accident. For example, if you were unable to stop your scooter because of a design defect in the braking system, the manufacturer may be at fault.
Motor Vehicle Driver
A motor vehicle driver could be at fault if they violated traffic laws and caused an accident. For example, if a vehicle struck you because the driver was following too closely and couldn’t stop in time to avoid hitting you, the driver may be at fault.
Government Entity
If uneven pavement, potholes, poor lighting, or other conditions on the road or sidewalk you were riding on caused your accident, the government entity responsible for maintaining the road or sidewalk could be liable for your damages. However, some rental company waivers require you to waive your right to hold the city liable for a scooter accident.
Scooter Operator
You may be partially liable for your damages if your actions contributed to the accident. However, if you were 50% or less at fault, you may still be able to recover some compensation from another liable party.
When more than one party is liable, each party is proportionately liable according to their share of the fault. For example, if you are 20% at fault and a vehicle driver is 80% at fault, the driver can’t collect from you because they are more than 50% at fault, but you can collect 80% of your damages from the vehicle driver.
Can You Sue an Electric Scooter Rental Company?
You can sue a negligent scooter rental company, but if you signed a liability waiver, it may be difficult to collect damages. Specific actions, such as gross negligence by the rental company, could make the waiver unenforceable. A scooter accident lawyer can review the waiver and the law to determine if the waiver will prevent you from successfully suing the rental company.
What Should You Do After an Electric Scooter Accident?
The first thing to do after a scooter accident is to get medical treatment for your injuries. This protects your health and provides documentation for your insurance claim or lawsuit.
Call the police and file an accident report. Get a copy of the report. Write down all other involved parties and witnesses’ names, addresses, and phone numbers.
If your accident involves a motor vehicle, get the driver’s insurance information, driver’s license number, and license plate number. Take photos of the scene, vehicles, a scooter, and your injuries. Contact a scooter accident lawyer.
Where Can You Contact a Scooter Accident Lawyer?
Recovering compensation due to a scooter accident can be difficult. You need an experienced attorney to protect your rights. Our firm handles all manner of personal injury issues, including those centered around electric scooters. Contact our office for Florida lawyers you can trust to bring experience and dedication to your case.
Call 813-221-5000 or email us here to schedule an initial consultation with our compassionate representatives today.