As a person who lives in California, you are likely no stranger to the fact that people are using e-scooters more than ever before. If you have been injured in an e-scooter accident, whether while on an e-scooter, or as a pedestrian, bike rider, or driver, then we urge you to keep reading to learn four facts you should know. Then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
- E-Scooters Have Become More Popular Than Ever Before
- There Are a Number of Potential Issues with E-Scooters
- E-Scooters Have Been Banned in Some Countries
- Several Parties Can Potentially Be Held Liable for E-Scooter Accidents
One of the main reasons these accidents have become more common is simple: The use of e-scooters has become more common. This is due in large part to the fact that they are cheap for consumers to use (they cost as little as $2 per ride) yet they are making investors a lot of money. As a result, those investors are pouring their money into increasing the number of e-scooters on the streets.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that there has been a significant increase in ER visits for broken bones, head trauma, and dislocation caused by e-scooter related accidents in recent months. Two local hospitals, UCLA hospital in Los Angeles and UCLA hospital in Santa Monica, found that there were 249 emergency room visits related to e-scooters between September of 2017 and August of 2018.
Most notably the U.K. has banned e-scooters. They did so by classifying that the scooters are motor vehicles that require drivers to have a drivers’ license and pay tax and have insurance. However, there are still plenty of these scooters being used in large metro areas like London, despite the fact that anyone doing so is risking fines and points on their licenses. China has also banned these scooters in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing all the way back in 2016.
You may wonder: If an e-scooter accident occurs, who is liable? There are a number of parties and it all depends on the specifics of the case. For example, it may be that the company that manufactured or sold the e-scooter could be at fault. It may be that the scooter rider runs into a pedestrian and thus the rider is responsible. It could be that someone falls over a scooter left on the sidewalk and the company that rents the scooter is then responsible for damages.
The many potentially at-fault parties is one of the reasons that it is so important to work with a personal injury attorney who can help you determine who to hold accountable. If you have been injured on an e-scooter, whether while driving it, while walking, or while in a car, then you are owed a free legal consultation. You can get that by contacting The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000.
