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Renting a scooter to explore and enjoy California cities can be lots of fun. Who doesn’t like motoring about in the sunshine and great outdoors? But if you crash or are hit by a car or another scooter, your injuries can be serious. A California rental scooter accident lawyer can be your best advocate if this happens.
Brands like Bird and Lime have built a new industry enabling consumers to rent electric scooters with a smartphone app in various cities around the nation. GPS trackers and wireless connectivity have led to a boom in electric scooter rental and bicycle ride-share programs in major cities across the United States.
A recent study in JAMA Surgery found that the yearly number of electric scooter injuries in the U.S. climbed 222% from 4,582 in 2014, when there were no scooter rental companies, to 14,651 in 2018, when rentals exploded in North America and Europe.
If you’ve been injured in a California rental scooter accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This is especially true if the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence. The California scooter and motorcycle accident lawyer at Neale & Fhima will fight to get the compensation you deserve.
Why Choose Us?
A California rental scooter accident lawyer who fights for your rights.
There are a lot of lawyers in California to choose from, but we believe the rental scooter attorneys at Neale & Fhima are among the best and the brightest. That’s because we have an outstanding track record of success in handling claims for our clients! Attorney Aaron Fhima has many years of experience in aggressively representing injury accident victims. He is supported by a legal team that shows compassion and care for each client we serve. We receive outstanding testimonials from our many satisfied clients.
How We Can Help
At Neale & Fhima, we are experienced in helping rental scooter accident victims in Orange County, Los Angeles, and Southern California understand their legal rights. We will fight to get the maximum payout possible. Following are the ways we can help. We will:
- Explain your legal rights and your options for compensation
- Gather evidence
- Review police reports
- Interview witnesses
- Conduct an accident scene investigation
- Use medical tests and treatment plans to prove your injuries
- Hire expert witnesses, if needed
- Construct a powerful and convincing lawsuit and file all motions and documents with the court
- Negotiate aggressively with insurance companies on your behalf
- Argue your case in front of a jury in court, if required.
Studies show that victims represented by attorneys secure significantly higher payouts than those who try to go it alone without an attorney. That’s because laws are complicated, and the legal system can be overwhelming. At Neale & Fhima, our skilled and experienced personal injury attorneys will walk beside you every step of the way. Call us at 888-407-2955.
Neale & Fhima has an outstanding record of success representing accident victims. We will fight aggressively to get the compensation you deserve.
The Dangers of California Rental Scooter Accidents
Nearly 40,000 broken bones, cuts, sprains and head injuries resulting from scooter accidents were treated in U.S. emergency rooms in recent years, according to one study. The scooter injury rate in the U.S. climbed from 6 per 100,000 to 19 per 100,000 during this time.
Scooter rental companies have popped up in cities across the country, enabling consumers to rent electric scooters through mobile phone apps and then drop them off anywhere in the same city. Some municipalities have adopted nighttime bans and additional restrictions amid rising injuries and complaints about e-scooters parked or traveling on sidewalks.
Many scooter accidents involve a motor vehicle, and these are often the most serious. That’s because cars, trucks, and SUVs are so much larger – often weighing thousands of pounds more than small scooters. Also, a scooter driver is relatively unprotected, with only a helmet.
More people are renting scooters in California, too, which means injuries are up. The number of e-scooter collisions in San Francisco jumped 58% in 2021, and the first scooter-related deaths have already happened in California. Officials warn residents and tourists who rent e-scooters to familiarize themselves with the rules for motorized scooters.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) defines the difference between motorcycles, mopeds, and motorized scooters. According to the DMV definition of a scooter:
- A motorized scooter has 2 wheels, a motor, handlebars, and a floorboard that you can stand on while riding.
- You can only drive motorized scooters on a bicycle path, trail, or bikeway — not on a sidewalk — and you cannot exceed a speed of 15 mph. If you’re involved in an accident while on these paths, it might be wise to consult a bicycle accident lawyer. You cannot drive motorized scooters on the highway.
- You do not need to register motorized scooters.
- You can drive a motorized scooter with any class driver license.
California Electric Scooter Rules
California Vehicle Code, Sections 21220 through 21235 cover motorized scooters, including rental scooters. Following is an easy reference:
- CVC§21220: California Legislative declaration of intent to “add this article to promote the use of alternative low-emission or no-emission transportation.”
- CVC§21220.5: Sets forth the definition of motorized scooter.
- CVC§21221: Concerning operating a motorized scooter under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- CVC§21221.5: Concerning arrests for DUI and testing.
- CVC§21223: About the safety equipment required to operate a motorized scooter at night.
- CVC§21224: Concerning license plate requirements and registration
- CVC§21225: Sets forth local authority’s ability to regulate scooter traffic
- CVC§21226: Regulates the sale of second-hand motorized scooters
- CVC§21227: States that a motorized scooter must have brakes
- CVC§21228: Where and how to ride a motorized scooter, including how to make a right-hand turn and avoid debris in the lane
- CVC§21229: Where and how to ride in the bicycle lane, including how to make a left turn
- CVC§21230: States that a motorized scooter may be operated on a pathway or trail unless a local agency with jurisdiction says otherwise
- CVC§21235: What you cannot do when you operate a motorized scooter
- CVC§22411: The stated maximum speed a motorized scooter can go.
Rental Scooter Accident FAQs
Scooter rental accident injuries are more common than you might think.
Our California scooter accident lawyers have worked with injured victims for decades, and we hear a lot of the same questions. For your convenience, following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
Q: Do a lot of people get hurt in scooter accidents?
A: Emergency room visits in the U.S. involving electric scooters have been rising exponentially. Emergency visits for injuries rose from 7,700 in 2017 to 14,500 in 2018; to 27,700 in 2019; and to 25,400 in 2020, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries to consumers using e-scooters, e-bikes and hoverboards jumped 70% in the last four years. Injuries happened most frequently to lower and upper limbs, neck, and head.
What is the statute of limitations for filing a scooter accident claim?
A: The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit for scooter accident injuries – as with most personal injuries – is two years.
How many electric scooters are sold each year?
A: The North American electric scooter market is expected to reach $15.41 billion in 2029, with more than 3 million units sold annually.
Q: What is the average settlement for rental scooter accident injuries?
A: Because each accident case is different, there is no “average” settlement amount. Generally, the more severe the injury, the higher the payout. Settlements can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a rental scooter accident, you don’t have to face this trauma alone. Neale & Fhima will fight to get the compensation you deserve.
Damages You May Be Entitled To
If you are injured in a California scooter rental accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages.These include:
Economic
- Medical and hospital bills
- Lost wages
- Cost of future medical care and rehabilitation
- Loss of future earnings potential
- Property damage
- Wrongful death
Non-Economic
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- PTSD and emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
In some cases, where a defendant’s disregard for the safety of others is particularly egregious, a judge can also award punitive damages, which are designed to punish the defend and send a warning to other would-be offenders.
Contact a California Rental Scooter Accident Lawyer Today
The skilled California scooter accident lawyers at Neale & Fhima will fight for the compensation you deserve. Scooter accidents can be deadly because riders have so little protection and motorized scooters can be hard to see and are much smaller and lighter than other vehicles on the road. If you’ve sustained a TBI, spine or neck injury, burns or any other harm after a rental scooter crash, consulting with a spine injury lawyer can be crucial for your case. Neale & Fhima can help you seek financial damages. To find out more about our legal services, call us at 888-407-2955. The initial consultation is free.
Attorney Aaron Fhima
Aaron Fhima is a trial attorney who has secured numerous settlements and verdicts against large corporations and some of the largest auto manufacturers in the world. Representing consumers and injury victims throughout the state of California, Aaron’s practice areas include personal injury, and lemon law litigation. Aaron has a long record of success taking on large defense firms; and he doesn’t hesitate to take cases to trial when necessary to enforce his clients’ rights. [ Attorney Bio ]
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At Neale & Fhima, we have extensive experience helping clients file successful Lemon Law and Personal Injury claims. We offer free consultations for clients who need assistance with either claim.
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