Rentable electric scooters from companies like Lime and Bird are everywhere in California cities, and privately owned models are gaining popularity too. They are affordable, easy to use, and help riders skip traffic. Unfortunately, their small wheels, high speeds, and shared roadways with cars also make them a frequent source of injury. When you are hurt in a scooter accident, liability is rarely as simple as it seems. At Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn, we help injured riders sort through the confusion and pursue the compensation they deserve.
Common Causes of Electric Scooter Accidents
Scooter crashes happen for many reasons, and the cause often points directly to who is at fault. Some of the most frequent include:
- Drivers who fail to see or yield to scooter riders
- Poorly maintained roads, potholes, and uneven pavement
- Defective scooters with faulty brakes, throttles, or tires
- Cluttered sidewalks or improperly parked scooters
- Rider inexperience or unfamiliarity with local traffic laws
Understanding what caused your crash is the first step toward identifying the responsible party.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
One of the biggest challenges in scooter cases is that liability may fall on more than one party. Depending on the circumstances, a claim could involve a negligent motorist who struck you, the scooter company itself, or a manufacturer whose defective equipment led to the crash. In some situations, a government entity responsible for maintaining safe roads or sidewalks may share the blame.
Rideshare scooter companies often include arbitration clauses and liability waivers in their user agreements. These terms can make it difficult to hold the company accountable, but they do not always hold up, and they rarely protect other at-fault parties. An experienced attorney can review the fine print and determine whether the company can still be pursued.
California’s Comparative Negligence Rule
California follows a pure comparative negligence standard, which means you can recover damages even if you were partly at fault for your own accident. Your compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you were found 20 percent at fault, you would still be able to recover 80 percent of your total damages. Insurance companies often try to shift more blame onto riders to reduce what they pay, so having strong legal representation matters.
Compensation Available to Injured Riders
Scooter accidents can cause serious harm, including broken bones, road rash, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. If you have been hurt, you may be entitled to recover for a range of losses, such as:
- Medical bills, both current and future
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Rehabilitation and ongoing care costs
The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries and how they affect your daily life.
How an Attorney Can Help
Scooter accident claims involve tangled questions of liability, uncooperative corporate defendants, and aggressive insurance adjusters. Trying to handle everything alone while recovering from an injury is overwhelming. The team at Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn will investigate your crash, identify every liable party, handle communications with insurers, and fight for the full compensation you are owed.
If you have been injured in an electric scooter accident anywhere in California, do not wait to protect your rights. Call Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn today at (310) 209-1600 for a free, no-obligation consultation and let us put our experience to work for you.
