Electric scooters have become very popular in recent years, but these vehicles can be a lot more dangerous than most people realize. Riders are generally inexperienced, and they often do not wear helmets to help protect them in accidents.
Victims of scooter accidents, including riders, drivers and pedestrians, may be able to pursue compensation for the damages they have suffered. Discussing your situation with an experienced lawyer can be an important part of the process.
Phillips Law Group’s injury attorneys have decades of combined experience representing Arizona injury victims. Our firm has obtained hundreds of millions in compensation over more than 27 years of providing legal services. Founder Jeffrey Phillips has provided lead counsel representation in more than 40 jury trials and is a Top 100 member of the National Trial Lawyers Association.
We do not charge any upfront fees for our services. Your consultation is free, confidential and there is no obligation. Our attorneys do not get paid unless our clients do.
Reach us by online contact form, live chat or phone 24/7: 602-222-2222
Do I Have a Case?
In most injury claims, your attorney is required to prove the injury was caused by another’s negligence. This is a legal theory used to assign fault for an accident.
Negligence has four elements that must be established with evidence:
Duty of Care was Owed to the Victim
You need to prove the person or entity who caused your accident owed you a legal obligation to take reasonable steps to help prevent you from suffering an injury. For example, drivers are required to pay attention to the road and obey traffic regulations.
Duty of Care was Breached
You must show the at-fault party did something, or failed to do something, resulting in a breach of the duty of care owed to you. For example, government entities that maintain sidewalks must ensure they are safe for use by pedestrians and scooter riders.
The Breached Duty is Linked to Your Injuries
Your Prescott scooter accident lawyer must be able to draw a direct link between the breached duty and your injuries. This often involves proving how the victim would not have been injured if the liable party upheld his or her duty of care.
Damages were Suffered
This means your injuries created financial, physical and/or emotional damages. These could include bills for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and lost wages if you missed work.
Call Phillips Law Group to discuss whether you may have a claim for negligence. There are no upfront fees, and you choose whether you want to move forward if you have a valid case.You are not obligated to use our services after this free consultation.
Liability for Scooter Accidents
Determining who may be liable is one of many factors that can make a scooter accident case complicated. There are various people/entities who could potentially be liable for your damages:
- Drivers ”“Unfortunately, many drivers are distracted by their cellphones, even in highly-populated areas. Distraction greatly increases the risk of a crash. However, even if drivers are paying attention, they are not used to watching for scooters.
- Pedestrians ”“ If a pedestrian suddenly walks in front of a scooter, the rider could hit the pedestrian or crash into a fixed object after swerving to avoid hitting the pedestrian. A collision can throw a scooter rider off the vehicle, causing severe injuries.
- Product manufacturers ”“ If an accident resulted from a defective part on the scooter, the manufacturer could be held liable for the victim’s damages. Other parties in the supply chain, such as distributors, retailers or designers could also hold liability, depending on the type of defect.
- Government entities ”“ If your accident was caused by a defect in the sidewalk or roadway, the entity responsible for maintaining that surface could be held liable.
Unsure of who may be liable for your scooter accident? Call Phillips Law Group at 602-222-2222 .
Compensation for Scooter Accident Victims
The value of a scooter accident case depends on the specific factors involved in the accident and damages suffered.
If you have a valid case, your Prescott scooter accident lawyer may be able to pursue compensation for many types of damages, including:
- Current medical expenses (surgery, ambulance transportation, doctor’s appointments, etc.)
- Future medical treatment (physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescription medication, etc.)
- Lost consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of wages
- Loss of earning capacity
You may be concerned about how the value of your case may be affected if you were partially to blame. Arizona’s comparative negligence law still allows you to pursue compensation, but it may be reduced based on your percentage of fault for the accident.
Get more answers from an experienced attorney. Ph: 602-222-2222
Deadline for Pursuing Compensation
Accident victims in Arizona generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. This is stated in Arizona’s personal injury statute of limitations. If you miss the deadline, you may be barred from filing a damages claim.
There are exceptions to this two-year deadline. If you are pursuing a claim against a government entity, you must file a notice of claim sooner – within just 180 days of the injury.
If you are concerned the deadline may have passed, give us a call today. We can be reached anytime day or night. You can also complete a free online form, and someone will get back to you shortly.
Benefits of Working with an Experienced Attorney
Recovering compensation is an important part of the recovery process after an accident. Obtaining full compensation for damages can be difficult because there are so many factors involved.
Victims may not realize that working with an attorney can have a significant effect on their ability to recover compensation and the amount they may recover. Victims who hire experienced attorneys often recover more compensation than those who do not.
Your attorney can deal with all communication with the insurance company on your behalf. Insurance companies are skilled at manipulating accident victims into accepting low compensation offers. They also know how to trick victims into saying things that minimize the value of their damages.
The Prescott scooter accident attorneys at Phillips Law Group know how insurance companies operate after an accident. We have many years of experience protecting accident victims from insurance companies looking to deny or devalue their claims.
If you hire our firm, our attorneys are prepared to fully investigate your accident, gather evidence, review medical records and aggressively negotiate for full compensation.
How Arizona Defines and Regulates Electric Scooters
Under Arizona law, there are two main kinds of scooters, based mainly on how fast they can go and how much they weigh. These definitions were established in April 2019, when the Arizona State Senate passed Bill 1398.
Electric Miniature Scooter
These are scooters that weigh less than 30 pounds and cannot go more than 10 miles per hour (mph). Other characteristics of these scooters include:
- Two or three wheels
- Floorboard for standing while rider operates it
- Handlebars
- Electric motor (scooters can also be propelled by the rider or the rider in combination with an electric motor)
Electric Standup Scooter
These weigh under 75 pounds and cannot go more than 20 mph. Other than that, they can have the same characteristics as electric miniature scooters.
It is important to define these types of vehicles to differentiate them from mopeds and motorcycles, which are governed by different laws. Mopeds can run at more than 20 mph and riders must purchase insurance and register these vehicles with the state.
A scooter that goes faster than 25 mph and has more horsepower than a typical moped is considered a motorcycle. Anyone who is under the age of 18 cannot ride a motorcycle without a helmet. All riders are required to wear eye protection and they must have a specific type of license and insurance.
Motorcyclists must obey most of the same rules of the road as drivers of other motor vehicles. Unlike certain types of scooters, motorcycles are not permitted on sidewalks.
Phillips Law Group’s Prescott scooter accident attorneys have extensive knowledge of these regulations and how they may be applied to accident claims.
Call a Prescott Scooter Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
Injured in a scooter accident because of another’s negligence?
You may be able to pursue compensation for medical bills and other damages. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group are prepared to help. In more than 27 years, our firm has obtained over $1 billion in injury compensation for our clients.
Founding partner Jeffrey Phillips has obtained verdicts in Yavapai, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and other Arizona counties. He is also a Leaders Forum member of the American Association for Justice.
The consultation with our attorneys is free of charge and comes with no obligation to take legal action if we find you have a case. We charge no upfront fees for our services. We do not collect any fees unless we are successful in getting money for you.
Call a Phillips Law Group today: 602-222-2222