Scooter Accident Injury Lawyer
in Los Angeles, CA

California Scooter Accident Lawyers

Have you been injured in an accident while riding an electric scooter? If so, you may have a claim for financial compensation for your injuries. Scooter accidents represent a new area of personal injury law that has grown considerably over the last few years. Like other subsets of personal injury law, scooter accident cases draw on the same principles of negligence and liability that are used to litigate car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents.

The attorneys at the Dordulian Law Group are experienced, skilled, and compassionate advocates for injury victims in Los Angeles and throughout California. We have a 99% success rate representing injury victims like you, and have the experience and talent necessary to win your scooter accident case. We understand the dangers that electric scooter riders face while sharing the road with other vehicles. This understanding has allowed us to successfully litigate challenging and complex scooter accident cases, helping accident victims recover the financial damages they deserve.

Scooters Are a New Class of Transportation

Dockless, electric scooters like Bird, Lime, Lyft, and Uber Jump have exploded in popularity in the last few years. These stand-up E-scooters are a sort of middle ground between walking and riding a bicycle, and an affordable pay-as-you-go mode of transportation. Touted as a last-mile solution for the rail and bus networks, scooters offer a more economical and environmentally friendly form of transportation than taking an Uber or Lyft car ride (think $2-$4 for the cost of an E-scooter rental versus $10-15 for a rideshare). College students use scooters to get across campus, and save money by not having to buy a parking pass. Ostensibly it’s a win-win situation for many, except for the prevalence of rider injuries and dozens of scooters scattered throughout city sidewalks.

E-scooters vs. Motor Scooters

E-scooters are different from motor scooters, like Vespas and Hondas, which can go up to 50 miles per hour. Motor scooters more closely resemble motorcycles than electric scooters. Operating a motor scooter requires a M1 motorcycle license in California, whereas no license is required to operate an E-scooter. At DLG, we handle accident claims arising from E-scooter, motor scooter, and motorcycle accidents. For the purpose of this page, “scooters” refer to electric scooters.

Our experienced attorneys can help you pursue a financial award for your personal injury case. Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Who Rides Electric Scooters?

Electric scooters fall in the micromobility sector, which also includes e-bikes, e-skateboards, e-rollerblades, and hoverboards. According to a Federal Highway Administration travel survey, over half of all E-scooter trips total three miles or less in total travel distance. Using a micro-mobility device like a scooter can reduce traffic congestion and parking issues for commuters, while providing a cheaper, faster, and convenient way to go from Point A to Point B. The cost of renting a scooter varies, but usually starts at $1, and then riders pay around $0.15 a minute. About 36,000 scooters were operated in Los Angeles as of 2019, including 8,500 scooters that operated in downtown L.A and Venice.

Safety Concerns Involving Scooters

Scooters, both in active use zipping about, and in inactive use, left strewn about, have created disagreements among cities and college campuses as to whether they are a solution to gridlock or and safety hazard (a nuisance, and often an eyesore). When California-based Bird dispatched hundreds of scooters onto Santa Monica streets in September 2017, citizens and lawmakers were quick to react negatively. In the last few years, many cities have gone through growing pains and hiccups with scooter laws, having huge debates about how street and sidewalk space should be used and shared, how pedestrians can be protected from scooters, and how tracked information about trips should be shared. Pilot programs have been launched, laws have been passed, and discussions continue. Meanwhile, people are injured every day in scooter accidents across the country.

Common Types of Scooter Accident Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a national study of E-scooter accidents in 2019, reviewing severe injuries that happened September 5 to November 30, 2018. The study interviewed 125 riders and analyzed medical charts for 65. The data found:

• 98% of scooter operators were not wearing helmets
• 48% of scooter operators had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit for intoxication
• 52% of scooter operators tested positive for an illicit substance.

A UCLA study, which analyzed data from the university’s Santa Monica Medical Center and the Ronald Reagan Medical Center between September 2017 and August 2018, found that 249 people visited emergency rooms for E-scooter accident injuries in Los Angeles. Scooter accidents cause injuries similar to pedestrian accident and bicycle accident injuries, including:

• Facial fractures, including broken noses
• Facial lacerations
• Shoulder dislocations
• Broken wrists
• Broken legs
• Concussions
• Internal bleeding
• Other injuries to nerves, tendons, and ligaments.

Statistically, cyclists who do not wear helmets triple their risk of dying from a head injury. Scooter operators subject themselves to similar risk. Helmets are not required for riders over age 18, but are always good practice, and recommended by the CDC. Some scooter companies like Skip and Lime have offered free helmets to active riders.

Do You Have a Case?

You may have a personal injury case if you were hurt while riding a scooter and another motorist failed to follow traffic laws or exercise reasonable care. You may also have a case if a pothole or crack in the street contributed to your injuries. Additionally, if the scooter was not properly maintained by the issuing company, and a mechanical failure contributed to your accident, you may have grounds to pursue a negligence claim in a personal injury lawsuit. A judge or jury may decide liability in a trial. Or, responsibility for your scooter accident could be agreed upon in a personal injury settlement, where the liable party (or parties) agrees to pay an acceptable financial award commensurate to any damages you sustained (i.e. pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wage, etc.).

Our injury lawyers are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Types of Scooter Accidents

We see several types of scooter accidents leading to serious or fatal injuries:

• Scooter operator is injured in a collision with a car, truck, or motorcycle
• Scooter operator is injured due to a hazard in the roadway, such as a pothole or asphalt crack caused by a tree root
• Pedestrian is injured in a collision with a scooter operator
• Pedestrian or cyclist is injured by a non-operating scooter (for example, tripping over a scooter left on a sidewalk)

Who is Liable for a Scooter Accident?

Following an accident, a thorough investigation will be necessary to determine the liable party. Multiple parties may be liable, depending on the scenario:

• The driver of a motor vehicle may be liable for injuries if their negligence or recklessness caused the accident (e.g. if they were texting and driving, or driving under the influence). Liability can be shared under certain circumstances (known as comparative fault).
• The driver of a motor vehicle may be liable for your injuries if they opened a car door into the path of your scooter.
• A pedestrian may be liable for a scooter operator’s injuries if they caused the accident. For example, a pedestrian blocked a scooter’s path in an attempt to slow them down.
• A scooter company may be liable for injuries to a scooter operator or third party if the accident was caused by a mechanical malfunction, or failure on the part of the company to maintain a scooter.
• A scooter company may be liable for injuries caused by a pedestrian tripping over a scooter, if they failed to meet the terms of their agreement / permit to keep vehicles off sidewalks and walkways, etc.
• A city may be liable for injuries caused by someone tripping over a scooter left on a sidewalk or walkway, especially if scooters are left randomly throughout high-traffic areas, posing hazards to pedestrians.
• A city may be liable for an accident caused by debris in a roadway, a pothole, or other road hazard.
• A business owner / property owner may be liable if an accident occurs on their property due to an unmarked hazard or unmaintained area.

It may be challenging, but not impossible, to sue a scooter company. The app-based services typically have extensive liability waivers, and forced arbitration agreements, which users quickly scroll through before clicking “I agree” on the user agreement. These “click-wrap contract” agreements and waivers have been successfully overcome in many instances, allowing personal injury victims to successfully sue for financial damages.

Scooters Must Be Operated on Streets, Not Sidewalks

Scooter operators in Los Angeles are required to ride on the street, either in the bicycle lane, or in the standard car lane, if the speed limit is 25 mph or lower. Riders that operate on a sidewalk are subject to a $197 ticket. According to the Los Angeles Times, officers wrote 249 citations for scooter violations in June of last year. Scooters pose a huge threat to pedestrians on the sidewalk, particularly slower moving, or less aware young children and elderly adults. Scooters are also subject to a speed limit of 15 mph. Even if you were on a sidewalk when an accident occurred, you may still have a claim.

Financial Recovery: Types of Compensation Available in a California Personal Injury Scooter Accident Claim

If you are injured in California as a result of another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic expenses are calculable damages, both past and future. Generally, they include:

• Emergency medical care directly relating to the accident (life flight, emergency room, hospitalization)
• Future medical care you’ll need (physical therapy, future surgeries, nursing care at home)
• Lost earnings (subsequent to your accident, in addition to expected lost earnings from an inability to work going forward)
• Lost earning capacity (if you are able to work at a reduced capacity).

There are many factors that go into calculating economic damages following a scooter accident, such as your age, your health before you were injured, when and if you can return to your regular job, what you earned in the past, your opportunities for advancement in your career, and your long term goals and interests. If a person is killed in a scooter accident, family members may pursue a wrongful death claim for these damages, along with non-economic damages.

Non-economic damages include compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of activities, and alteration of lifestyle that make enjoyment of life harder. The amount of non-economic damages may be determined by a jury, or negotiated between parties in a settlement.

How Much Is Your Scooter Accident Case Worth?

One of the most frequently asked questions in an initial personal injury consultation is “How much is my case worth?” This is a pressing question, and we understand our clients are facing financial uncertainty, especially when mounting medical bills are involved. After an accident, it can be difficult to determine how much your personal injury claim may be worth. Various factors will have to be considered, including the severity of the accident and resulting injures, your prognosis for recovery and what sort of continued care will be required reach a maximum medical improvement.

When we file a lawsuit for a scooter accident, we will need all of the medical records and bills, as well as doctor reports. While we won’t be able to fully put a dollar figure on an amount in an initial consultation, we will be able to give you an indication of the potential value of your case, based on the type and severity of your injuries, potentially liable parties, insurance available, and other factors. Upon accepting your case, we will do everything possible to put together a very strong case in order to maximize the value of your claim. We are not afraid to take cases to trial, and insurance companies and their defense attorneys are aware of our reputation and history of aggressively fighting and winning for our clients.

How We Preserve Evidence and Establish Liability

Every personal injury lawsuit in California is subject to a statute of limitations which strictly limits the amount of time following an accident for you to file a claim. It is always advisable to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after any accident. In scooter accidents, it is even more imperative to act quickly. The scooter itself is valuable evidence and may be quickly confiscated, repaired, or destroyed by the scooter company. If a road hazard caused an accident, it may be quickly repaired. Evidence preservation is critical in scooter accident cases. Once you call us, our expert investigators, including a former LAPD Central Traffic Division Detective Supervisor with over 30 years of experience, will get to work to preserve any and all evidence that will help prove your case and ensure you receive the largest possible financial award for damages.

Every case is different in terms of establishing liability. Sometimes, liability is plain and obvious. More often, it is disputed, and the burden will be on DLG as your representatives to prove it convincingly. At Dordulian Law Group, we are familiar with insurance companies and their common deny, delay, and defend tactics. As soon as you hire us, we will thoroughly review the details related to your accident and begin gathering evidence – starting with the police report, witness statements, and photos and videos of the accident scene. Our investigators may also gather 911 calls or contact first responders and law enforcement officers for statements. In some cases, we will consult with accident reconstructionist specialists to ultimately demonstrate (via a courtroom presentation) how the crash occurred, and who was at fault. If the crash involved a roadway design issue or defective road condition, we may consult with an engineering expert familiar with city or state regulations.

Schedule an appointment online for a free consultation today, or call us directly to speak to our top-rated, expert scooter accident attorneys.

Client Review

“I spoke to Sam Dordulian personally and he was very helpful and down to earth, giving me candid advice in dealing with issues involving my auto accident case. Only facts, no water. I recommend Sam and his legal team to anyone who has tricky questions and wants to afford a professional answer.”
Monica R. Cresswell