Louisville Lime Scooter Injury Lawyers

E-scooters are a popular way to ride around cities. They allow you to reach your destination faster and in comfort without adding to the pollution. The problem is that cities are not designed for electric scooters and this is resulting in many crashes, sometimes with serious injuries.

Victims who are injured in an e-scooter accident may be entitled to damages to pay for their medical bills and other expenses. Since these claims are quite different from those of more traditional injury cases, it’s important to receive support from an attorney who has experience dealing with Lime scooter accidents.

The Risks of Using Lime and Other E-Scooters

It’s dangerous for riders of e-scooters to be on the roads, but it’s dangerous for pedestrians if e-scooters ride on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, there’s no way to use e-scooters that keeps everyone safe.

Furthermore, riders often decide to take a e-scooter simply because they see one available. This means they are rarely wearing helmets, which can increase the severity of injuries in a crash — e-scooters leave you as exposed as if you were riding a bicycle or motorcycle. For this reason, many Lime scooter accidents result in hospital visits.

Common Injuries After a Lime Scooter Accident

Injuries caused by using electric scooters or being hit by a scooter include:

• Head injuries
• Broken bones
• Sprained ankles
• Lacerations

Although severe injuries are uncommon, there have been fatalities in the past.

What to Do After a Lime Scooter Accident

Anyone who is injured while riding or by an e-scooter should seek immediate medical attention. It may not always be obvious that you’re suffering from a personal injury like a concussion or soft tissue damage.

You may like to file a police report to have a record of the incident. You should also take photos yourself of both the scene and your injuries.

Lastly, request a consultation with a legal team that has experience with e-scooters. Lawyers are able to negotiate with the insurance companies of the negligent parties on your behalf to ensure you receive a fair settlement.

Types of Compensation You Can Receive

Compensation enables you to recover your expenses and pays for other damages related to your e-scooter injuries. It can include:

• Medical expenses. This covers both the medical bills you’ve already incurred and the cost of any future treatment you need.
• Lost wages. You may have needed to take time off work and your earning capacity could be decreased due to disabilities caused by the accident.
• Pain and suffering. Non-economic damages may include physical discomfort and emotional anguish.
• Property damage. Your vehicle or personal possessions may have been damaged in the accident.

Who Is Negligent in a Lime Scooter Accident?

Who is found at fault will depend on the circumstances of your electric scooter accident.

Scooter companies may be liable if the e-scooter was in poor condition and unsafe to use. This could be due to improper maintenance or a defective part. For instance, there have been cases of Lime scooter suddenly braking when at high speeds.

If you were hurt by a motor vehicle, you may be able to prove that the driver of the vehicle was reckless, distracted, or otherwise negligent. The most severe cases tend to be when a driver opens a door without looking first and hits a rider — this is called dooring. In addition to being hurt by the impact, the rider could be thrown into oncoming traffic or may swerve to avoid the door only to collide with another vehicle.

E-scooter riders are sometimes injured by pedestrians who are not paying attention. For a successful claim, you’ll need to prove that the pedestrian — and not you — was at fault.

In cases where pedestrians are hurt, e-scooter riders are likely to be liable, particularly if the rider was inebriated or inexperienced. You could also be hurt because a scooter rider left the electric scooter somewhere inappropriate where it became a tripping hazard. When scooters are left on private property, the owner of the premises may be liable. In other situations, riders or the local government may be found negligent. Even Lime can be found liable for these kinds of e-scooter accidents, such as if it is the company’s responsibility to control the drop-off of e-scooters.

Finally, the local government can be liable for electric scooter accidents that are caused by a hazard, such as potholes, rough patches on the road that are not obvious, and a sidewalk with big changes in elevation.

How Injury Attorneys Can Help

Lime and other ride-sharing services have expert lawyers working for them who will make succeeding with a claim extra difficult. To make matters worse, you will have needed to sign a liability waiver before using the company’s e-scooters. However, even the Lime user agreement cannot protect the company in all cases where people are injured by electric scooters. It is possible to receive damages from Lime when you’re backed by experienced accident attorneys.

Nonetheless, you may be unable to settle your claim and will need to start a lawsuit against Lime. It’s always necessary to have a lawyer when filing lawsuits — and it’s best if your legal team has experience dealing with cases involving e-scooters.

Even injury claims where another party is liable can be difficult to prove yourself. Scheduling a consultation with a personal injury lawyer is the first step toward finding out if you should pursue the case.

If you’ve suffered an injury while riding an e-scooter in Kentucky, talk with an attorney at the Fleck Firm. We have experience dealing with cases where Lime or other scooter companies were liable and can help you gain the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation.