Electric scooters are becoming an increasingly common sight in major cities all over the country, and Los Angeles is no exception. If you’re looking for a quick way to get around without a car in some of L.A.’s most popular neighborhoods, you might not have to look very hard to find a scooter from Bird or Lime that you can rent. But as more people start using electric scooters, the more likely it becomes that people will get seriously injured in scooter accidents.
California law requires electric scooters to be ridden in streets, but while this helps protect pedestrians on sidewalks, it places scooter riders in danger in a few different ways. First of all, scooters are much smaller than other types of motorized vehicles, which makes them harder for drivers to see. Not only are scooters less visible to drivers, scooter riders don’t have the luxury of being protected by safety features like air bags. There’s also the fact that electric scooters are less stable than many other types of vehicles on the road, which makes it easy for riders to fall if they encounter poor road conditions.
Accidents happen in the blink of an eye and when they do, it’s extremely common for people to be unsure of what exactly they should do next. If you’re in a scooter accident, here are some steps you need to take:
Seek Medical Attention
After any kind of accident, taking care of yourself needs to be your top priority. Even if you think you’re okay or that any injuries you have aren’t serious, it’s still a very good idea to get examined by a doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, it’s not always easy to tell the full extent of your injuries immediately after the accident. Soft tissue injuries, for example, often have symptoms that take time to show and if you wait to get checked by a doctor, there’s a chance that the party responsible for your accident will try to claim something else caused the injury.
Report Your Scooter Accident
If you’re well enough to contact the police from the scene of your accident, it’s very important to do so. The officer who responds to the scene will make an official report that will play a very important role in your case. Under California law, accidents involving cars also need to be reported to the DMV if the accident caused injury/death or caused at least $750 in property damage.
Collect Information
The more information you’re able to gather at the scene of the accident, the better. Start by getting the name of the other party involved in your accident, as well as their contact information and insurance information. Be sure to also note things like the driver’s license plate number, the type of car involved in the accident, and the names and contact information of any witnesses. Take as many pictures as you’re able to of the accident scene. Be sure to document exactly where the accident took place and the damage it caused.
Contact a Scooter Accident Lawyer
After an accident, you’ll likely feel a lot of pressure from insurance adjusters who want you to quickly settle for as little money as possible. But the injuries caused by your scooter accident can have significant short-term and long-term effects on your life. By working with a scooter accident lawyer, you’ll have someone who can deal with insurance adjusters on your behalf and can fight to help you get all of the compensation you need.
If your scooter accident involved a defective or poorly maintained scooter, a lawyer will also be able to help you navigate the complicated process of trying to collect damages from the company responsible for the scooters.
At The Wallace Firm, our team is experienced in handling a wide range of traffic accidents, including scooter accidents. Contact us today for help with your claim.