Electric scooters are a fun and convenient way to get around. While many riders underestimate the danger of riding a scooter, serious accidents do occur.
If you were in a scooter accident in Philadelphia, you may be wondering about your legal rights and whether you are entitled to compensation.
At Rosen Justice Injury Firm, our skilled team of scooter accident lawyers is happy to answer your questions and walk through the process with you.
Are Electric Scooters Legal in Pennsylvania?
Though scooters have become a popular means of transportation in a lot of large cities, they are still not permitted under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.
Scooters do not meet the state’s current definition of a two-wheeled vehicle, nor are they subjected to equipment and inspection requirements.
Despite the fact that scooters currently sit in a legal gray area, scooter-sharing companies have been lobbying lawmakers to allow scooters in the city.
Determining liability can be difficult because scooter regulations have not been established. The scooter accident lawyers at Rosen Justice Injury Firm understand the complexities of the issue and are here to help.
Electric Scooter Injury Facts
A 2022 report published in the National Library of Medicine found a six-fold increase in electric scooter-related injuries reported in emergency rooms after the introduction of shared electric scooter services in August 2018.
According to this study, 79% of scooter accidents involve falls, while 16% involve collisions and 5% involve pedestrians. Of the injuries reported, 58% were lacerations or contusions, while 21% involved a sprain, fracture, or dislocation.
If you have been injured in a scooter accident due to someone else’s negligent behavior, a scooter accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Causes of Scooter Accidents
Electric scooters can travel up to 15 miles per hour. In comparison, the average speed for a bicycle commuter ranges between 11 and 18 miles per hour.
Cyclists often wear helmets and ride on the road with traffic or in designated bike lanes. There are no designated places for scooters to ride, which can make it confusing to know where you should be. There are many reasons scooter accidents occur. Some of the most common include:
Mechanical Defect
It is scary when any motor vehicle, including an electric scooter, does not function as intended. Faulty brakes or steering components can prevent the rider from having full control of the scooter, which may result in accidents harming the rider and potentially others.
Surface Hazards
Poorly maintained roads or sidewalks can be extremely dangerous for scooters. Significant cracks in the path can cause a scooter to jerk suddenly or flip forward.
Likewise, debris can be very dangerous. It is often the responsibility of the local government municipality to maintain these surfaces.
Avoidance Maneuvers
Sometimes a vehicle or pedestrian will enter your space without warning. In these situations, you will need to perform quick, evasive maneuvers to get out of the way and avoid harm.
However, because scooters are not made for fast avoidance maneuvers, these can result in damage to the rider and others.
Dooring Accidents
Much like bicycles and motorcycles, scooter riders have a high probability of being doored, which means a driver does not look before opening the door of their vehicle.
In these circumstances, the driver fails to recognize a scooter is in the lane they are opening the door into, and the driver of the scooter slams into the open door, causing potentially significant injuries.
Vehicle Collisions
Left-turn accidents are a common source of vehicle collisions involving scooters. In these instances, the vehicle driver may not see the scooter before attempting to make the turn.
Overall, left-turn accidents account for approximately 25% of all vehicle collisions.
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(215) 999-2244Compensation in Scooter Cases
To avoid accepting a low settlement offer, it is important to understand the value of your claim. The severity of your injuries will largely dictate how much you are able to recover.
It is important to keep detailed records of all medical expenses, property damage, and other costs associated with the accident.
This will allow your scooter accident attorney to achieve a more accurate valuation of your claim. Depending on the nature and extent of your injuries, you may be entitled to both economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic Damages
You should not have to pay out of pocket for injuries associated with an accident that you did not cause. Economic damages are used to place the victim back in the financial position they would have been in if the accident had not occurred.
They include expenses like medical care, physical therapy, medication, travel costs for medical care, lost wages, and more.
Noneconomic Damages
Your mental, physical, and emotional well-being have value. Noneconomic damages are more difficult to prove but are certainly important, especially if the accident has caused permanent or long-term damage that results in life changes.
Noneconomic damages may include pain and suffering, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other impacts on your overall health and happiness.
Contact Philadephia Our Scooter Accident Lawyers
Riding a scooter in Philadelphia is still a gray area, but that does not mean you should have to be responsible for the results of someone else’s negligent behavior.
The team at Rosen Justice Injury Lawyers is known for taking on complicated cases and succeeding. We are here to help and are committed to putting your well-being first.
Our nationally recognized team has settled cases for millions of dollars on behalf of our clients in and around Philadelphia.
We offer a free case consultation so that we can help you understand your legal options and how we can help you pursue legal remedies and maximum compensation. We do not get paid unless you do, so there is no risk in seeking recovery. Contact us today.
