For a small fee, customers can rent electric scooters in popular tourist and downtown areas. Unfortunately, many victims have been seriously injured in Lime scooter accidents. Users have reported incidents of broken Lime scooters. Broken scooters and negligent drivers can result in devastating collisions, causing severe injuries.
If you or your loved one have been seriously injured in a Lime scooter accident in Texas, it’s crucial you reach out to an experienced attorney. You may have a right to pursue compensation from the Lime company or another at-fault party. The attorneys at Rochelle McCullough are prepared to discuss your case with you, answer any questions, and help you understand your legal options.
What Are Lime Scooters?
Lime is a scooter rental company that allows riders to unlock scooters after paying $1.00. Lime charges riders $.15 for every minute they use the scooter via their phone app. Riders can also choose to purchase a day pass for $14.99, making it a cheaper option for traveling a few blocks than using a ride-share company or hiring a taxi.
Common Causes of Lime Scooter Accidents
Many different types of accidents involving Lime scooters can occur. A pedestrian may trip and fall over a stray scooter that hasn’t been secured properly, causing injuries. A scooter renter could become injured after being struck by a distracted or drunk driver while riding the scooter. In other cases, victims become injured after a collision involving a defective scooter.
Scooter riders are not required to take any safety courses or to wear protective gear, such as helmets. Riders may feel over-confident in their skills and operate the scooter too fast to avoid debris in the road or other dangerous conditions. Drivers may not be used to watching for scooter riders, who appear much smaller than other vehicles on the road. When scooter riders are riding during rush hour or at night, drivers may be more likely to be distracted or intoxicated and less likely to use care to avoid colliding with the scooter rider.
Defective Lime Scooters
In August 2018, Lime recalled approximately 2,000 Lime Segway Ninebot scooters. The batteries on these scooters were found to smolder or catch on fire because of a manufacturing defect. Mechanics working for Lime have also reported that cracks can develop in the scooters’ baseboards within days of them becoming available for customers to use on the street.
Others have reported that riders who weigh as few as 145 pounds may cause the scooters to snap. In 2018, a young man died in a Lime electric scooter accident. The man allegedly rented a scooter and fell off of the scooter. When police officers arrived, they reported the scooter was 160 yards away from the man, broken in half. There was no other debris on the road. The family alleges that the scooter was defective, causing it to break apart and cause their loved one’s death.
Proving Liability in a Lime Scooter Accident Lawsuit
Proving liability can be challenging in a scooter accident. Even when the cause of the accident seems straightforward, the at-fault party’s insurance provider may try to deny a victim’s rightful claim or offer the victim a settlement amount that is far too low.
When a person becomes injured due to a defective Lime scooter, he or she will face additional challenges. Lime contends that when scooter riders tap on the “I agree” button before renting a scooter, they agree to go before an arbiter in California and lose their right to pursue a lawsuit against Lime.
However, the agreement is so long it would take the average person 59 minutes to read through. Whether you’ve been injured because of a defective scooter, a negligent driver, or another liable party, working with an experienced attorney will help you level the playing field and give you the best opportunity possible to recover the full and fair compensation you need and deserve.
Pursuing Compensation in a Lime Scooter Lawsuit
Regardless of the cause of your scooter accident, you may have the right to pursue compensation. If a defective Lime scooter caused your injuries, you may have the right to pursue a product liability lawsuit against the scooter manufacturer. If a negligent driver struck you while on the scooter, you have the right to pursue compensation from the negligent driver.
Plaintiffs in Texas personal injury lawsuits can pursue compensation for their injuries in the form of economic and non-economic damages. A skilled personal injury attorney can help plaintiffs pursue the following types of compensation:
- Medical expenses: current and future hospitalization fees, surgery costs, physical therapy fees, hospitalization fees, and any other medical treatment expenses
- Lost wages and additional expenses to cover future lost income due to recovery time or further medical procedure
- Loss of future earning capacity due to disability
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering (PTSD, anxiety, fear, psychological trauma, emotional scarring, and more)
Pursuing a Wrongful Death Claim Due to a Lime Scooter Fatality
Since Lime and Bird popularized rentable scooters in 2018, at least 29 people have died in e-scooter accidents. Most of the victims were riding the scooters when a motor vehicle collided with them, although some of the victims were pedestrians who were struck by a scooter.
Surviving family members can also pursue compensation for their loved one’s death through a wrongful death lawsuit. If your loved one passed away in a Lime scooter accident, you may be entitled to funeral and burial costs and compensation for your loved one’s pre-death pain and suffering. Other types of damages include pre-death medical expenses, loss of companionship, loss of consortium, and loss of expected savings and inheritance.
Contact a Lime Scooter Accident Attorney in Texas
If you have suffered injuries in a Lime Scooter accident, don’t hesitate to contact Rochelle McCullough. Our Dallas lawyers know how to hold negligent parties accountable for the injuries they cause. We will investigate your case, determine which party or parties are liable, and develop a strategic plan for pursuing compensation. Contact Rochelle McCullough to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation with a skilled attorney and learn more about your rights.
We extend our personal injury legal services to help clients 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.