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Electric scooters, or e-scooters, have become a popular transportation option in many large cities around the world. Because they can often be rented, they’re an affordable and convenient option for zipping around a big metropolis without investing in a bike or car, and they’re also very environmentally friendly compared to cars.
However, they can also be a serious hazard to pedestrians, scooter riders, and even car drivers, resulting in serious accidents that can kill or permanently disable riders. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that there has been a tremendous uptick in micromobility product accidents, a statistic which includes electric scooters. Over the course of three years, there were 190,000 emergency department visits involving this category of products, with a large portion of these visits involving e-scooters.
If you or a loved one use e-scooters regularly, there’s a large possibility that you’ll be involved in a serious accident, so it’s important to understand what kinds of injuries you might face, as well as how to recover and recoup losses from the accident.
However, this ubiquity has also led to increasing accidents with e-scooters, which can cause serious injuries for the operator as well as personal injury lawsuits to recoup financial and emotional damages. As such, it’s important for everyone to educate themselves about the dangers of e-scooters, as well as the possible avenues for redress should you or a loved one be the victim of a scooter accident.
Scooter accidents can be disabling or deadly
Since e-scooters are a relatively new product, many drivers don’t know how to respond to them appropriately, which increases the likelihood of a serious accident for a scooter rider. Some common accident causes include drivers swerving into the bike lane where scooters are utilized, drivers opening car doors without checking for a scooter, and cars backing up into a scooter. Other causes are related to the scooter itself, such as the battery dying in the middle of a ride, brakes failing while going downhill, and the rider falling off.
Any of these accidents can result in serious injuries for the rider, especially if they weren’t wearing a helmet. Common injuries include broken limbs from a fall, whiplash from a sudden stop, and head injuries, all of which can result in long-term complications. Some scooter riders have even died from their injuries, which just underscores how serious these accidents can be and how important it is to get help for any injuries resulting from a crash.
Seek prompt medical – and mental health – treatment
The most important thing you can do if you were involved in a scooter accident is to get medical treatment right away. It’s tempting to walk it off and assume you’ll be fine, but some injuries can take several days to show up, and any delay in treatment can result in major complications. You should always call an ambulance and be checked out by medical professionals, who can then guide you through the recovery process.
Another factor to consider is your mental health. Any accident can cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as it’s a terrifying situation that your mind will struggle to process. Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder include nightmares, anxiety, flashbacks, depression, and dissociation, all of which can make it difficult to manage your day-to-day affairs.
If a loved one was killed in a scooter accident, you may experience PTSD as you grieve their loss and try to understand how this could have happened. It’s important to seek help and be compassionate with yourself as you work through your complicated feelings about their death.
Legal help is available
If you were seriously injured through no fault of your own, you can seek justice for what’s happened to you, and a skilled scooter accident lawyer can help you negotiate for a fair and reasonable settlement.
Like other accidents, those injured in a scooter accident can sue for damages from the responsible party. This is especially important for scooter drivers, because car insurance might not assist you, and the other party’s insurance will fight hard not to provide you with an adequate settlement.
A personal injury attorney is well-versed in this type of accident, and they can guide you through seeking damages from the responsible party. They can also serve as a bridge between yourself and the other person’s insurance company so that you won’t need to worry about this as you recover. Reaching out to an attorney can save you a great deal of stress and anxiety, and it can ensure that you’re properly compensated for your pain and suffering.
Final thoughts
Electric scooters are supposed to be a fun and convenient transportation method, but a minor accident can turn deadly in an instant as you have little protection against a larger vehicle. It’s important to understand the risks of e-scooters and seek help if you’ve been in an accident from trusted professionals like doctors and lawyers. You should also understand that you might experience mental health effects from an accident, so be kind to yourself and recognize that your complicated feelings about the accident are valid and should be cared for by a professional. With support and sympathy, you can get justice for your injuries and come out of this a stronger and wiser person.