New York City Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer
New York City has always been friendly to pedestrians and bike riders. Now, people frequently ride electric scooters. Such scooters are permitted to be in many of the same places as bikes, but riders must be careful. If a scooter rider is hit by a car or otherwise involved in an accident, they might be severely hurt. The person who caused the accident may be held responsible for your injuries and damages.
If you are injured in a scooter accident, call for help right away. If necessary, have an ambulance take you to the hospital. It might be necessary to contact the police, especially if you were struck by a car. If possible, exchange information with others at the scene. When talking to your attorney about the accident, tell them where it occurred. Electric scooters are not permitted on all streets and highways. If the accident happened somewhere that you should not have been, your claim might not be as strong as you think. Common causes of electric scooter accidents include vehicle crashes, dooring accidents in bike lanes, and even crashes with pedestrians.
Get a private, free case evaluation from our electric scooter accident attorneys with The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (718) 841-0083.
What to Do in Case if You Are in an Accident on an Electric Scooter in New York City
If you are involved in an accident while riding an electric scooter, you might be badly hurt and in need of help. Do not panic. Stay calm and get help. If you have a cell phone, use it to call 911 if the accident is serious. If you can get back up after being knocked down, you might not need an ambulance, but you should get to a hospital as soon as possible. If you were struck by a car or the person who hurt you ran, call the police.
While waiting for help to arrive, consider photographing the accident area. Again, if you have a cell phone, you might use it to snap some pictures of the accident, including the vehicle or person that struck you and the surrounding location. It is not unusual for people to take pictures after accidents because they often need those pictures for insurance claims. Your pictures might also be used as evidence in a courtroom, especially if they contain details that shed light on how the accident occurred and why the defendant is responsible.
Exchange information with others at the accident. First, our electric scooter accident attorneys need to identify the person who caused the accident so we can take legal action later. If we do not know their identity, your case cannot move forward. Second, other people at the scene might be able to testify as witnesses, and we need their names and contact information to find them later.
Where You Can and Cannot Ride an Electric Scooter in New York City
Talk to your lawyer about exactly where you were riding your electric scooter when the accident happened. This may influence whether you have a valid cause of action. Scooters are not allowed on every single street in New York City. If you were riding someplace where you should not have been, your claim for damages might not be very strong.
If you were injured while riding somewhere you were legally permitted to be, we can move the case forward. If you were injured because you were riding an electric scooter somewhere that is off-limits, you might not have a valid legal claim. Regardless, ask a lawyer for clarification.
According to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), electric scooters are permitted in bike lanes and on streets where the speed limit is no greater than 30 mph. If speed limits are higher, like on highways, electric scooters are prohibited. This means if your accident happened while you were riding your scooter on a highway or somewhere else where scooters are not permitted, your legal claim might be in jeopardy. Since you should not have been there in the first place, you risk being blamed for the accident, and you might recover fewer damages. Additionally, electric scooters should not be operated on sidewalks.
Additionally, electric scooters should not be operated in excess of 15 mph. If you are speeding while on a scooter, your claim might not be as strong. On top of that, other acts of negligence, like riding your scooter while trying to text or make a phone call, might also make you look bad in a court of law.
Common Causes of Accidents with Electric Scooters in New York City
Accidents with electric scooters often happen under very similar conditions to bike and car accidents. Since electric scooters are permitted on many streets and bike lanes, they can be found alongside cars that are much bigger and going much faster. If a driver in a car is distracted or loses control of the vehicle, they might easily crash into someone on a scooter, causing serious injuries.
Another possibility is dooring accidents. These accidents often occur when a parking lane is alongside a bike lane. In many cases, someone inside a parked car throws their door open, blocking the adjacent bike lane. If they do not check behind them first, they might open their door right in front of an oncoming scooter. The person riding the scooter might be going fast, and they could crash into the open door, leading to harsh injuries.
Some scooter accidents do not involve other vehicles. In New York City, pedestrians are everywhere and are a constant presence on the streets. When someone riding a scooter is going through an intersection, a pedestrian might not be paying attention and step into the street right in front of the scooter. It is not unusual in New York City for pedestrians to cross bike lanes when they cross a street. If the pedestrian tries to cross when they should not – which is very common – they might cause a person on a scooter to crash.
Speak to Our New York City Electric Scooter Accident Lawyers About Your Claims
Get a private, free case evaluation from our electric scooter accident attorneys with The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (718) 841-0083.