If you were injured while riding a Lime scooter, the product liability attorneys of the Reiff Law Firm can fight to recover compensation for you and your family. Depending on factors like when your accident occurred and what caused your injuries, you could be entitled to damages for pain and suffering, loss of income, and other harm you have suffered.
At the Reiff Law Firm, we are award-winning personal injury attorneys who have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Our Lime scooter injury lawyers have over 34 years of experience litigating complex product liability cases against all types of businesses. If your injuries resulted from another person’s careless actions, we are here to fight for the justice you deserve. Contact us online today to set up a free legal consultation, or call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 to speak with a Lime accident claim attorney.
What Types of Injuries Do Electric Scooter Accidents Cause?
Lime scooters are a fast, convenient, and affordable mode of transportation for city-dwellers across the U.S., offering lightweight, easy-to-use transit that can be picked up or dropped off nearly anywhere. Unfortunately, these benefits come with a dark side: thousands of preventable injuries, and in some cases, even fatalities.
One study, conducted by health officials in Texas working alongside the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), found that just over 190 electric scooter injuries occurred during a three-month period in 2018. Approximately 50% of the injuries reported in this study were head injuries, and 15% were classified as “traumatic brain injuries” (TBI), meaning brain injuries resulting from a physical jolt or blow (as opposed to an illness or infection). For example, a concussion is considered to be a “mild” form of TBI (mTBI).
Finding similar data, a different study showed that head injuries were responsible for approximately 40% of the hospital visits resulting from electric scooter accidents. Most of these injuries occur when a rider strikes his or her head when falling off the scooter.
While head injuries are exceptionally common, other types of injuries can also result from scooter accidents. Examples include:
- Back and spinal injuries
- Broken bones (fracture injuries)
- Cuts and bleeding
- Facial injuries, such as a broken nose or broken teeth
- Hand and wrist injuries
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Skin injuries like “road rash” (abrasion injuries)
Lime Scooter Malfunctions and Safety Recalls
Several safety recalls have affected Lime since the company began operating. These recalls include the following:
- October 2018 – The company recalled certain models of scooters due to safety concerns. The model affected by the recall, the Segway Ninebot, could reportedly overheat, begin smoking, and potentially catch on fire.
- November 2018 – Lime recalled scooters in the Okai model, whose baseboards (the part the rider stands on) could reportedly crack and break.
- January 2019 – In Switzerland, a recall was triggered by possible brake malfunctions that might cause certain scooters to brake automatically, without the rider’s input.
- February 2019 – The company announced that wheels on certain scooters might malfunction at higher rates of speed. Outside the United States, several injuries were reported related to brake issues.
Who is Liable for Injuries Caused by Defective and Malfunctioning Lime Scooters?
Multiple individuals have reported being injured in Lime scooter accidents, which can be caused by defects and malfunctions involving wheels, brakes, baseboards, or other parts of the scooter. If an accident results in injury, the victim may be able to recover financial compensation for their medical bills and other damages by filing a personal injury lawsuit against Lime, negligent drivers, or other parties whose negligence contributed to the accident.
In addition to compensation for medical costs (such as hospitalization, medication, and surgery), the victim may also be able to recover damages for lost earnings and income, pain and suffering, property damage, diminished earning capacity, and other losses resulting from the accident. In order to receive damages, the plaintiff must present evidence showing that their injury resulted from another person or company’s negligence. Our attorneys will handle collecting, analyzing, and presenting the evidence for you, so that you can focus on recuperating from your injuries.
Which Cities Have Lime Scooters?
Lime launched as an electric scooter rental company in January 2017. Since Lime’s debut, which was followed later that year by competing transportation company Bird, the company has expanded from its original headquarters in San Francisco to cities across the United States. According to Lime’s website, U.S. cities with Lime scooters include, as of June 2019, the following:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Austin, Texas
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Chicago, Illinois
- Columbus, Ohio
- Denver, Colorado
- Detroit, Michigan
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami, Florida
- Nashville, Tennessee
- New York, New York
- Orlando, Florida
- Portland, Oregon
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Diego, California
Product Liability Lawyer for Lime Scooter Injury Lawsuits
If you were injured in a Lime scooter accident, you may be able to get compensated for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost earnings, and other damages. For a free legal consultation about filing a personal injury claim against Lime for an electric scooter accident, call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940, or contact us online. Handling scooter injury cases nationwide, we are available 24/7 to help you determine whether you might have a claim.
