People riding on scooters injured by potholes around Madera should get help with their medical bills and in supporting themselves while they must miss work.
The City of Madera can be liable for potholes that cause accidents and injuries. Business owners and landlords might also be liable for the potholes in their parking lots. To find out who might be responsible and how much to demand for a painful injury, victims can contact Maison Law of Madera for a free, no-obligation case consultation.
Who Is Responsible for My Scooter Crash Caused by a Pothole?
On local roads, the City of Madera’s street division is responsible for fixing potholes that they find or that are reported by drivers and residents. The city could also be responsible when scooter tires drop into potholes and leave riders hurt.
The fault is especially clear when it can be shown that complaints have been made about the pothole and that repairs have been unreasonably delayed. There may have been previous accidents caused by this same pothole. If the city knew or should have known about the hazard, it can often be held accountable for accidents.
In some cases, business owners and residential property owners (e.g., landlords for apartment complexes) could also be liable for scooter accidents. If a grocery store parking lot had major holes in it and someone rode along and got hurt, the store owner or corporate chain could be liable for the injuries and medical costs.
Scooter Pothole Accident Dangers in Madera County
Massive potholes are especially dangerous for people on scooters. Scooters have smaller tires, and just two of them, making it harder to stay on course after hitting a crack in the street. Cars may be able to go over the same pothole without any issue.
A bump might send a rider falling off a scooter and into the path of cars. It may send them careening into other lanes. A big hole may even grab a scooter and stop it instantly, letting the rider fly forward to hit the road surface.
Unfortunately, scooter riders will often have to travel alongside speeding cars on roads like Cleveland Avenue. They must stick to the right side of the road or use bike lanes, because the California Vehicle Code (CVC) prohibits riders on scooters with motors from taking to sidewalks.
CVC 21235. (g).
The operator of a motorized scooter shall not do any of the following:
(g) Operate a motorized scooter upon a sidewalk, except as may be necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.
It means riders who can’t find a bike lane would have to ride alongside traffic, leaving them vulnerable to distracted drivers and speeding drivers. Bike lanes don’t remove all risk either. D rivers making right turns can jump across a bike lane without checking for riders. They can also be staring at a text and veer over into an unprotected bike lane.
Victims can suffer broken bones, Traumatic Brain Injuries, face and eye damage, and severe road rash. A skilled Madera scooter accident lawyer would work with doctors to determine the true extent of an injury and how much trouble a patient may have with a broken bone in the future. That would determine how much in compensation our lawyers would demand for patients. Enough for current medical bills and enough for care that may be necessary in the coming years.
What to Do If You Are Injured in a Scooter Injury Caused by a Pothole
You must prioritize your safety. Contact 911 to request an ambulance if you are hurt. Then, if it’s safe to do so, and you can move around, you should collect some fresh evidence at the scene. This evidence, like a pothole, may be repaired before you can return to proof of the city’s negligence.
Try to complete these steps after a scooter accident:
- Get checked out by paramedics. Go to the hospital if necessary.
- Take photos of the scene. Show the damage to your scooter and any vehicles involved. Get pictures of the pothole from different angles and try to show how big it is. Take pictures of any injuries that are visible and any damage to clothing or shoes.
- Note any businesses or homes that might have security cameras mounted where they could record your accident.
- Talk to any witnesses and get their contact information so that your attorney can contact them later for testimony.
- Keep any damaged clothing, shoes, and personal items. Keep the damaged scooter. Don’t throw evidence out that can strengthen your case.
- Visit your own doctor even if you’ve already been treated at the emergency room at Madera Community Hospital. Tell your doctor what happened and about any new pain you have in the days following the accident. Keep all receipts and medical charts.
- Discuss your options with a lawyer.
The Difficulty of Seeking Compensation from the City of Madera
Unfortunately, filing an injury claim can be especially difficult when a government entity is involved. The City of Madera enjoys special protection against litigation. First, they can reject a claim that has missed a very short statute of limitations, perhaps just six months. Miss this deadline, and you may never be allowed to seek compensation for your pain.
Madera will also have government lawyers ready to attack your claim that a pothole caused your accident and injuries. They may even try to question how badly you’re hurt.
They’ll also look for mistakes on the complex paperwork that must be filed. Any error could be used as an excuse to reject your claim.
It’s best to have a lawyer on your side, ready to stack up the evidence and put pressure on government agencies to accept responsibility for their carelessness. Your Maison attorney would file all paperwork for you, correctly and on time, and then get to work earning you the maximum in support possible.
Contact a Madera Scooter Accident Lawyer
If you need Maison Law’s help, we immediately conduct a full investigation into your accident and the inaction of the city. We collect all evidence and use it to force those at fault to accept blame and financial responsibility.
If you decide you need professional legal representation, you won’t need any money to hire us. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the compensation that an insurance company must provide.
Reach out to Maison Law for a free case consultation that comes with no obligation. We represent accident victims hurt across Madera County.
