E-scooters have become a popular and affordable way to get around cities like Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth. For a small fee, customers can rent e-scooters, ride them around the city, and drop them off when they are finished. While convenient, e-scooters can be dangerous, especially when they are poorly maintained or have been dangerously designed.
If you’ve been injured in an e-scooter accident in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP are here to help. You may have the right to pursue compensation from the party whose negligence caused your injuries. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you pursue the damages you deserve while you focus on your recovery.
Holding E-Scooter Manufacturers Accountable
As consumers, we trust that the products we purchase and use are safe. Unfortunately, not all products are safe for consumers. In the last decade, victims have become injured because of defectively designed or poorly manufactured e-scooters. There have been many recent lawsuits filed against e-scooter manufacturers and distributors. The following types of dangerous defects can cause e-scooter riders to become injured or killed:
- Faulty throttles
- Defective accelerators causing sudden acceleration
- Malfunctioning brakes
- Broken, loose, or detaching handlebars
- Baseboards that break in half
- Software malfunctions
- Batteries that burst into flames
- Sticky throttles
- Dangerous Wheels
Pursuing a Product Liability Claim
E-scooter manufacturers have a legal duty to ensure their products are reasonably safe when used for their intended purpose. If you were injured in an accident caused by a defective e-scooter, you may have the right to pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer. E-scooter rental companies, such as Bird, Lime, Spin, Scoot, and Bolt, also have a legal obligation to keep their scooters well-maintained and reasonably safe for their customers.
Suppose a scooter rental company knew or should have known that a scooter needed maintenance or was defective. The rental company chooses to ignore the problem to save money. If a consumer is injured because of the scooter’s dangerous condition, the victim would likely have a legal claim for compensation against the company. E-scooter companies also have a legal obligation to warn consumers of any dangers associated with using their products.
E-scooter Accidents Involving Motor Vehicles
Even when e-scooter drivers wear helmets and use safety precautions while operating their scooters, they can still be victims of motor vehicle accidents. If you have been injured in a collision with a motor vehicle, and the accident wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Under Texas law, you have the right to pursue compensation through an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider or through a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
E-Scooter Accident Injuries Can Be Severe
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency room visits due to e-scooter accidents have increased recently. Between 2017 and 2022, approximately 360,800 emergency room visits occurred due to e-scooter accidents occurred. Injuries associated with electronic mobility devices, including e-scooters, increased by nearly 21 percent from 2021 to 2022.
The report indicates that year over year, e-scooter injuries continue to increase, and children are more likely to suffer fatal injuries from e-scooters. Injuries to a person’s upper and lower limbs, as well as their head and neck, are the most common types of e-scooter injuries. When a customer loses control of an e-scooter, he or she may fly off of the e-scooter and hit his or her head on the asphalt or concrete. Accidents can cause a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury.
Concussions can also occur when an e-scooter rider collides with another person or vehicle. The force of the accident can lead to internal bleeding and other types of fatal injuries. Neck injuries, shoulder injuries, broken bones, abrasions, and contusions are also commonly caused by e-scooter accidents.
You May Be Entitled to Financial Compensation
E-scooter riders do not have seat belts, airbags, and other safety features to protect them from injuries. As a result, they’re more likely to suffer serious, life-altering injuries that require extensive, ongoing medical treatment. Medical treatment for serious injuries can cost well over $1 million over a person’s lifetime. Although monetary compensation can never fully compensate victims of serious injuries, it can help victims obtain the medical treatment they need.
The attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP will work with financial and medical experts to carefully value your claim to ensure it includes all your current and future damages. Under Texas law, victims can pursue the following types of damages through a personal injury lawsuit:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation, surgery, and at-home medical care costs
- Lost income
- Loss of earning capacity due to disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Dental injuries
- Sprained ligaments
- Fractured collarbones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- “Road rash” from asphalt
- Injuries to the hips, knees, or shoulders
- Wrongful death
Wrongful Death Claims Involving E-Scooters
If your loved one died in a fatal e-scooter accident, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. Surviving family members may be able to recover compensation for their loved one’s medical expenses, along with funeral and burial costs. They can also pursue compensation for the loss of their loved one’s companionship or financial support.
While nothing can bring your loved one back, pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit can help you hold the at-fault party or parties responsible for his or her death. Recovering compensation can also help you ensure your family’s financial needs are met going forward.
Contact Our E-Scooter Accident Attorneys in Dallas
If you’ve been injured in an e-scooter accident, you’ll benefit from discussing your case with an experienced attorney. Working with the skilled trial attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP, will help you level the playing field when dealing with insurance companies and defendants. Our seasoned attorneys know how to negotiate to pursue the full amount of compensation our clients deserve. If you’d like to learn more about your legal options, don’t hesitate to contact Rochelle McCullough, LLP, to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.
We extend our personal injury legal services to help clients with e-scooter accident cases throughout Texas, including Dallas, & Fort Worth, as well as in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Committed to advocating for your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.