I Was Injured on a Rental E-Scooter

Posted on July 13, 2022 in Bicycle Accident

Electric scooters have taken major cities by storm over the last few years. Touted as simple ways to get around town in a fuel-efficient manner, it is not uncommon to see individuals zipping around getting from place to place. However, e-scooters can also lead to significant injuries for riders as well as others around the e-scooters. Here, we want to discuss what you can do if you were injured on a rental E-scooter in Oregon.

E-Scooter Injury Statistics

The information released late in 2021 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) states that e-scooters, along with hoverboards and e-bikes, have contributed to a rise in injuries and deaths. The CPSC states that there were more than 190,000 emergency room visits due to micro-mobility products from 2017 to 2020. They say that much of the increase from 2017 forward is attributable to e-scooters. E-Scooter emergency room visits rose three times as much as any other micro-mobility device.

One study out of a Los Angeles neighborhood found that the injury rate for e-scooter users topped the injury rate for “motorcyclists, bicyclists, and cars nationwide.” The study estimated that there are 150 injuries for every one million e-scooter trips.

What to do After an E-Scooter Accident in Oregon

There are various types of e-scooters throughout the state of Oregon. Many companies have pushed their own pilot programs into place in cities around this state. For example, in Portland, a few different companies operate, including Bolt, Spin, and Lime.

When a person wishes to ride on these e-scooters, they are supposed to download the app, which allows them to unlock the E-scooter for riding. Under Oregon law, individuals riding e-scooters are required to wear helmets, just like they are on bicycles.

Injuries can occur in a wide variety of ways on e-scooters. If you rent these e-scooters, you could be injured in much the same way as a bicyclist, often as a result of the careless or negligent actions of others around you. If you are injured on an e-scooter as a result of the negligent actions of a driver, it is imperative to handle the incident just like any other type of accident. The police need to come to the scene, you need to go to the hospital to treat your injuries, and you need to contact your insurance carrier. The at-fault driver’s insurance carrier should cover your expenses.

However, it can be challenging to determine fault for any scooter incident. At-fault drivers may attempt to push the blame back on you for the incident, and they may do this by saying that you were not following the rules of the roadway for these vehicles.

After sustaining an injury on an e-scooter in Oregon, you need to reach out to a skilled personal injury lawyer who has experience handling these types of claims. Just like any other type of injury incident, you deserve compensation if the injury was caused by the actions of another party. A Portland personal injury attorney will be your advocate. They will fully investigate the incident and do everything in their power to recover maximum compensation on your behalf.