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With the recent rise in accidents involving e-scooters, injuries from these electric scooters are more concerning than ever. If you’ve been injured in an e-scooter accident, you already know how serious these incidents can be. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, but you’re going to need a knowledgeable New Jersey e-scooter accident attorney to identify potential defendants and represent you in a claim.
The e-scooter accident lawyers at Birkhold & Maider, LLC understand the complexities of the evolving area of e-scooter accident law. Contact us today for a free case review.
Injuries associated with e-scooter accidents are increasingly common. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported in 2023 that injuries from e-scooters, e-bikes, and other products classified as micromobility devices rose by almost 21% between 2021 and 2022. This increase isn’t a fluke but rather part of a disturbing pattern. Since 2017, the CPSC noted, injuries related to these devices have increased annually by an average of 23%.
All told, e-scooters and other micromobility devices sent 360,800 Americans to the emergency department between 2017 through 2022. Nearly half of these ER visits happened in 2022 alone, the CPSC noted.
The CPSC data encompasses only injuries severe enough to send victims to the hospital. It doesn’t count those whose minor, superficial injuries could be treated at home or victims who choose to visit a doctor’s office or urgent care facility. Like those who rushed to the hospital, e-scooter accident victims who skipped the hospital but sought care at a doctor’s office may have developed serious injuries.
Most hoverboard injuries affect the following body parts, according to the CPSC:
Although e-scooter accidents can cause a variety of different injuries, some consequences are particularly common with micromobility devices.
Fractures are among the two most common types of injuries in e-scooter accidents, the CPSC reported. Broken bones can necessitate immobilizing casts, surgery, and a sometimes lengthy recovery.
In some instances, fractures cause additional issues. The broken bones may cause damage to the surrounding nerves, tissues, and organs. Broken bones can lead to significant bleeding, either from external wounds or internally.
The other most common injuries in e-scooter accidents are contusions and abrasions. These bruises and scrapes may be minor and superficial, but they can also be serious.
Contusions aren’t always surface-level and may indicate damage to the tissues and bones beneath the skin. If not cared for properly, abrasions like road rash can become infected. Deeper cuts may require stitches or other medical interventions. Any of these injuries can be temporarily painful, but complications like infections and permanent scarring make them potentially more worrisome.
Crashing or wiping out aren’t the only ways you could get hurt on an e-scooter. The CPSC has reported numerous instances of these and other micromobility devices catching on fire, including multiple fire-related fatalities.
Fires in e-scooters and other micromobility devices most commonly begin while charging but have also happened during use. Both batteries and control panels have caught fire, putting riders and others in the vicinity at risk of serious burn injuries.
Electric scooter accidents occur in several ways, including device malfunctions and collisions. Untangling complex matters of liability and negligence for electric scooter injury claims requires the knowledge of an experienced e-scooter accident lawyer.
Fires are only one type of e-scooter accident claim caused by a defective product. The CPSC has received reports of the following product defects in e-scooters and other micromobility devices:
If you believe a product defect caused you to crash or fall off of your electric scooter, our Essex County e-scooter accident lawyers can investigate and help you hold the manufacturer of malfunctioning parts accountable.
Electric scooters have to share the roadway with cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles. In even a minor collision with a car, the e-scooter rider is much more susceptible to the force of the impact.
E-scooter riders who have been hit by a car may have grounds for a claim against a negligent driver.
You might also seek help from an experienced Nutley or Jersey City e-scooter accident attorney if you’ve been hit by an electric scooter.
Pedestrian injuries from e-scooter accidents remain a problem in New Jersey, especially where operators of electric scooters ride on the sidewalk. Often, operators of e-scooters are inexperienced themselves, essentially renting them from e-scooter-sharing companies like Bird, Lime, Uber, and Lyft.
Seeking compensation for pedestrian e-scooter accidents is a complex undertaking, but our Nutley, NJ, e-scooter accident lawyers can help you explore your legal options and identify potential avenues for recourse.
Whether you were the rider of the e-scooter or a pedestrian struck by the device, the first thing you should do after an e-scooter accident is call for help. A serious accident involving an e-scooter is worth calling 911 over.
As you wait for first responders, document the accident through photos of the crash site, the e-scooter, and your injuries. If anyone around you witnessed the accident, ask for their statement and contact information immediately. When the police arrive, provide the information they need to fill out an accident report. All of these steps serve to document the accident.
Your health matters most. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might seek care at an emergency room, an urgent care facility, or your doctor’s office. Get checked out right away and follow your doctor’s instructions.
An attorney can be your resource for navigating life after the accident. Our electric scooter accident lawyers can answer all your questions, represent you throughout the legal process, and pursue compensation on your behalf.
In Essex County, NJ, e-scooters are here to stay, at least for a while. The Newark City Council announced plans to make its 18-month electric scooter-sharing pilot program permanent in December 2023, according to NJ.com.
If you’re entitled to e-scooter accident compensation in New Jersey, you can seek monetary damages for both economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses typically include your medical expenses and lost wages. Non-economic losses encompass the physical pain, emotional suffering, and decrease in your quality of life due to your injuries.
With the right help, you can get your life back on track. Contact Birkhold & Maider, LLC online or call (973) 784-8583 today to have your case reviewed by an experienced e-scooter accident injury attorney in Philadelphia, PA.
Generally, New Jersey law allows you to sue for injuries caused by another party’s negligence. That means you may be able to sue the manufacturer of a defective e-scooter, the motorist who struck you while you were riding an e-scooter responsibly, or another party who caused your injuries through their carelessness.
If you’re not sure whether you have a claim, our Nutley, NJ, e-scooter accident attorneys can help. We’ll review your case at no cost and help you understand your legal options.
In an e-scooter accident claim, you might seek monetary damages for losses such as the following:
– Medical and rehabilitation expenses
– Future medical costs of long-term injuries
– Wage loss and loss of your future earning capacity
– Pain and suffering
Your e-scooter injury attorney can work with you to identify all damages and pursue the full compensation you deserve.
Unfortunately, there have already been hundreds of fatalities reported with the use of e-scooters. Collisions with motor vehicles, crashes due to control issues, fires, and pedestrian accidents have all resulted in deaths related to electric scooters, according to CPSC data.
If you have lost a loved one due to an electric scooter accident, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim. This legal action allows grieving families to hold the at-fault party accountable, get answers about how their loved one’s death occurred, and pursue financial compensation. The Essex County e-scooter accident lawyers at Birkhold & Maider, LLC represent families in wrongful death actions arising out of all kinds of accidents.
Couldn't have worked with a better team. Bob & Jess were super helpful and made the process easier to get through. I highly recommend their services!
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