It seems as though scooters are everywhere these days. As an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly method of transportation, electric scooters have grown in acceptance and popularity in cities and towns across the nation. However, there is a decidedly dangerous aspect to this innovation in transportation. Being much smaller and lighter than the other vehicles on the road, it is not hard to understand that the number of scooter accidents in Tallahassee has grown yearly. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries while riding a scooter, a Tallahassee motorcycle accident lawyer is ready to offer you legal guidance for the steps you need to take to get the compensation you deserve. Call us today and receive a no-obligation consultation with an experienced Tallahassee scooter accident lawyer.
The Growing Availability of Scooters in Florida
Electric scooters have grown in popularity due to the ease with which anyone can get a hold of one. In many cases, users only need to download the app for the scooter’s rental company, and that helps them find the nearest location where scooters are available. By scanning their driver’s license and inputting the credit card information, the rider gets a code that corresponds with a particular scooter. The use of the scooter is quite accessible since it starts with a low base to which a cost per mileage is added.
Scooters grew so fast in consumers’ preferences that governments at every level had to scramble to pass laws to limit liability, mostly because these contraptions do not require registration. Other ordinances dictate that scooters cannot be driven on city streets or sidewalks and limit their speed to 15 miles per hour. When these laws are ignored, accidents can happen. Contact a Tallahassee personal injury lawyer to help you if you were the victim of a scooter accident.
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Why are scooter accidents so pervasive in Florida?
By being lighter and less stable than other types of vehicles, scooters don’t have airbags, seat belts, or protective steel frames. This means that riders are always at greater risk of being injured than those who ride in sturdier vehicles.
Among the most common types of scooter injuries, statistics show that head and brain injuries occupy the first spot on the list. These injuries tend to be serious, and life-changing since those who suffer from them may end up with memory loss, an inability to communicate with others, loss of feelings and emotions, and consciousness disorders, just to name a few examples.
Fractures come in second place, including broken bones in legs, arms, hips, ankles, pelvis, ribs, or wrists. Although some fractures heal within months, when multiple fractures occur, the victim’s life may be more permanently affected by the amount of pain and immobility associated with this condition.
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Hazards that Scooter Riders Face
Besides being hit by a larger vehicle, scooter riders and those around them also face these dangers:
Scooter hits a pedestrian – When scooters must share the sidewalk with moving crowds, it is easy to hit a pedestrian. When this happens, both the rider and pedestrian can sustain injuries. Scooter rental companies warn users not to ride on sidewalks to avoid these accidents, which unfortunately continue to happen.
Scooter is left in the middle of the sidewalk – Scooter riders can decide to walk into a store and just leave the scooter lying in the middle of the sidewalk while they run their errand. This can result in pedestrians tripping and falling over them.
Accidents caused by defective scooters – Scooters should be checked frequently to ensure that all parts continue to be operational and in good working order. Otherwise, a rider may be injured by the equipment even when riding safely.
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Recovering Damages After a Scooter Accident
Florida law allows for the recovery of both economic and non-economic damages after being injured in a scooter accident. If you are interested in recovering damages after a scooter accident, the scooter accident lawyers in Tallahassee from Fasig | Brooks can help you put together a fair value for your claim. We will need to conduct a full investigation into the accident as soon as we get some basic information from you. Damages recovered can be either economic or non-economic.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are costs that are easy to quantify and include all your medical bills, such as those you receive for doctor’s visits, treatments, medications, rehabilitation, and more. They also include the wages you have lost by not being able to go to work while caring for your injuries. If your injuries are severe, damages may also include future lost wages. You may also seek compensation for personal property damage.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are harder to quantify, and they refer to pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and any other intangible impact that the accident may have had on you. Your Fasig | Brooks scooter accident attorney in Tallahassee will explain to you the methods used to come up with a comprehensive number for non-economic damages.
How a Fasig | Brooks Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Your Fasig | Brooks personal injury attorney in Tallahassee will offer you guidance as to the legal options available to you after your scooter accident. We will start by conducting a thorough assessment of the facts of your case to identify all potential sources of liability. We will uncover all insurance resources that may be available so that we can understand the best way to go about helping you get the compensation you deserve. Our team will then depose witnesses and examine and physical evidence that exists. Once we have a full understanding of the factors that can affect your case, your attorney will determine the monetary value of your damages, basing their recommendation on the expenses you have incurred and on the impacts the injuries have had on your life. By putting your case in our hands, you will get a skilled negotiator with full knowledge of the law. If the case ends up in court, we will build a powerful argument for your recovery. Set up an initial consultation today.
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