Maison Law can help you through the claims process if you’ve been injured in an electric scooter (e-scooter) accident in California. Hopping on an e-scooter can seem like the easier option when you’re on foot. That makes a lot of sense, considering that California has great weather and numerous walkways, bike lanes, and other infrastructure that lends itself to that mode of travel. But that convenience goes away quickly when there’s an accident. We can help you understand your options and move forward. Set up a free consultation today.

Why Would I Need a Lawyer?

It’s pretty easy to understand why there’s nothing easy about an e-scooter accident. Like a regular scooter or bicycle, you don’t have much protection against a moving car. You can also be dealing with problems with the road, sidewalk, bike lane, or even the scooter itself.

That’s one of the things that makes these accidents so difficult. There can be a lot going on around you, and you don’t have much control over what another driver, pedestrian, or bike rider does. And then the bills start showing up. You may need medical treatment, miss work, have a damaged scooter, and start getting calls from an insurance company asking questions about what happened. That’s where having a lawyer can make things a lot easier. Our team can:

Explain your options in plain terms so you know what to expect
Look into what caused the accident and who could be responsible
Deal with the insurance company and its questions about your claim
Get pictures, witness statements, medical records, police reports, and other evidence

So yes, the suddenness of an e-scooter accident takes everybody by surprise. One second, you’re riding along on your way somewhere, and the next thing you know, you’re on the ground and hurting. It’s a confusing time, but one way to cut through that is to get help from our team.

Where Do E-Scooter Accidents Happen in California?

Whether you use an e-scooter everyday or have just seen somebody cruising around on one, it’s likely that it’s being used in the same type of place throughout California. So then, it’s not all that surprising that e-scooter accidents usually happen in the same types of places over and over again here, like:

Busy city streets, where scooters are around cars, buses, bikes, and other traffic. They’re especially common around crosswalks and intersections.
Bike lanes, where a driver may turn across a rider’s path or fail to see them

College and university areas, where students use scooters to get around
Beach and coastal spots, where people use scooters to get between homes, businesses, restaurants, and other destinations
Shopping and commercial areas, where cars are pulling in and out of parking lots and driveways
Shared-use paths, where scooters are around pedestrians, runners, and bikes
Neighborhood streets, where drivers may not expect to see an e-scooter
Sidewalks and older stretches of pavement, where cracks, potholes, uneven surfaces, and other problems can cause you to lose control

The location can tell you a lot about what happened, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. An injury claim is about pulling together all the pieces of information. And that’s especially important right after the accident happens.

Pieces of Important Information With an E-Scooter Accident

The last thing you’re thinking about right after an e-scooter accident is getting information. You’re on the ground, you’re in pain, and you’re probably trying to figure out what just happened. The first thing to do is get help:

Call 911 if you’re hurt. Police and EMTs can help with your injuries and document what happened.

Everything else can flow from that. While you’re waiting for help and if you feel up to it, it’s a good chance to get a few basics like:

Pictures and videos of the scooter, vehicle involved, your injuries, the road, sidewalk, bike lane, traffic signs, potholes, debris, and anything else

The name of the e-scooter rental company if you were using a rented scooter
A screenshot or record of the rental, including the scooter number, trip information, and any information in the rental app
Contact information from the driver, pedestrian, bystander, or anyone else who saw what happened
Information about nearby businesses, homes, security cameras, doorbell cameras, or traffic cameras that may have caught the accident

That’s about as much as you need to worry about at the scene. You’re not trying to document the entire accident yourself. You’re just trying to get enough information to get the ball rolling. Then, in the coming days and weeks, other things will start coming in:

Medical bills and records
The police report
Notes about your pain, recovery, and how your injuries are progressing
Pay stubs or work records if you’ve missed time on the job
Camera footage before it gets deleted
Receipts for damaged helmets, phones, clothing, or other gear
Repair or replacement estimates for the e-scooter
Any messages or reports you made to the rental company about a problem with the scooter

Remember, you’re not trying to piece all of this together yourself. Your focus should still be on your health and keeping up with any doctor’s appointments. Usually, a few pictures and medical records is enough to get things started. From there, we can pull the rest together.

How Legal Responsibility Works With an E-Scooter Accident

There’s a lot that can come into play with an e-scooter accident. You’re moving faster than you would on foot, you’re often sharing the road or bike lanes with cars and other riders, and you’re much more exposed if something goes wrong. But just because you’re riding an e-scooter doesn’t mean you give up your rights when you’re hurt in an accident—particularly when someone else was negligent.

That usually involves:

A driver was speeding, looking at their phone, driving impaired, failed to yield, or just didn’t see you.
There was a pothole, broken pavement, bad sidewalk, poor lighting, or some other hazard that the city, property owner, or management didn’t fix.
Someone else on a bike, scooter, or on foot that wasn’t paying attention and ended up getting in your way.
Something on the scooter itself wasn’t working right, like the brakes, steering, tires, battery, or motor. That can bring in the actual company that made the scooter or parts.
You were using a rental scooter and the company knew there was a problem with it but didn’t fix it or take the scooter out of service.

Like any other accident, responsibility doesn’t always fall on just one person or company. A lot of the time, it’s a combination of these people or groups that share the responsibility. But once you have a better idea of what happened and who was probably responsible, you can start looking ahead to actually filing a claim.

What Claim Options Do I Have After an E-Scooter Accident?

An e-scooter accident may feel different from a normal bike accident, but your legal options are generally based on the same basic idea. When someone else was being reckless or negligent, and you get hurt because of it, you can file an injury claim and get financial help for your losses through either:

An insurance claim outside of court
A personal injury lawsuit

Obviously, there’s a lot of variability in what these accidents leave you dealing with. A relatively short scooter ride can turn into months of medical treatment, time away from work, and other expenses. That’s what your “damages” are made up of, and they can include things like:

Medical expenses and future medical treatment
Lost wages or reduced earning capacity
Repair or replacement costs for damaged personal property
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Reduced quality of life
Wrongful death damages in fatal accidents

Keep a couple things in mind here: there’s only two years (maybe less, depending on who’s involved) from the date of the accident to file your claim. That sounds like a lot of time, but the longer you wait, the harder it can be to put information together. Potholes get fixed, witnesses move away or forget what happened, and your injuries heal.

To that end, your damages are going to be made up of the information and evidence you’re able to show. That can also be overwhelming, but our team will be with you throughout the whole process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still have a claim if I was riding a rental e-scooter?

Yes. Renting the scooter doesn’t mean you can’t have a claim. The accident could involve another driver, a dangerous road or sidewalk, another rider, or a problem with the scooter itself. If you think the scooter was defective, save your rental information and any messages you had with the company.

What are some common e-scooter injuries?

E-scooter accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, especially because there’s so little protecting you from the pavement or another vehicle. Some common injuries include:

Broken or fractured bones
Cuts, scrapes, and road rash
Sprains and strains
Head and facial injuries
Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
Shoulder, wrist, and arm injuries
Back and neck injuries
Knee and leg injuries

Some injuries are obvious right away, while others may not show up until later. That’s one reason it’s important to get checked out after an accident, even if you initially think you’re okay.

Should I try to look for camera footage?

Yes, if you can. Businesses, homes, traffic signals, and other nearby locations may have security or traffic cameras that caught what happened. You don’t necessarily need to get the actual footage yourself. The important thing is to figure out what cameras were nearby and act quickly, since footage may not be kept for very long.