Lyft Scooter Lawyer
Electric scooter companies are vying for market share on sidewalks all across America. Leveraging its already-widespread app, the parent company of Lyft acquired a smaller scooter startup and began offering e-scooter rides for Lyft ridesharing companies. In many cases, this service is a cheaper, quicker alternative to waiting for a Lyft driver.
Despite the convenience and ease of use afforded by Lyft scooters, the propensity for accidents is high. Lyft scooters travel at speeds up to 15 miles per hour (and more on downhill grades), meaning riders are subject to much greater injuries in a fall than pedestrians. However, the scooters also have much smaller wheels than a bicycle or an automobile, meaning that they are more difficult to control and can be crashed more easily.
Uneven pavement can be a serious risk for catastrophic injuries. In most jurisdictions, the owner of a sidewalk is required to maintain the walkway so as to prevent trips and falls for pedestrians. A Lyft scooter lawyer can evaluate the circumstances of an e-scooter accident and determine whether the owner is responsible for any injuries.
Lyft scooter lawyers may also be called upon if an accident involves a motor vehicle. In many places, scooter riders are permitted to use crosswalks like a cyclist or pedestrian. Drivers of passenger vehicles in major cities are accustomed to maintaining a lookout for slow-moving pedestrians, but may not be as readily aware of faster-moving scooters which also have the right of way. If a turning driver runs into an e-scooter rider, the injuries can be severe, including road rash, spinal injuries, strains and sprains, or even broken bones.
Riders of Lyft scooters should also be more cautious in poor weather. After heavy rain, ice, or snow, sidewalks may prove hazardous, requiring riders to use lower speed and more awareness of surroundings. During active weather, it is probably best to avoid using e-scooters altogether. Afterward, however, property owners have an obligation to maintain sidewalks free of rain, snow, and ice. If they fail to do so, and a rider is injured as a result, the rider may have a claim that a Lyft scooter attorney can help pursue.
An incautious scooter rider may be a hazard to others as well. The scooters are silent and pedestrians may not be aware of the danger. An errant scooter that strikes a pedestrian can also cause serious injuries. In some cases, an injured pedestrian can bring an uninsured motorist claim under his or her own auto policy, since the scooter is a motorized vehicle. However, insurance companies typically fight such claims, requiring the services of an experienced Lyft scooter attorney from Cohen & Cohen in order to be successful.
