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If you are injured in a scooter accident, a Seattle scooter accident attorney from The Fang Law Firm can help you recover financially.
Scooters are everywhere in the Seattle metro area. People are riding them on the sidewalks, in the streets, and everywhere in between. They are a fun way to get around and see the Seattle sites when the weather gets warmer. With an uptick in scooter riders comes an uptick in scooter accidents.
The Fang Law Firm is skilled in scooter accident litigation.
Injuries in scooter accidents are often severe and life-altering. Even less serious injuries can disrupt the victim’s life and cause financial strife for the whole family. A successful scooter accident claim through vigorous representation by the Seattle scooter accident attorneys at The Fang Law Firm can help you recover compensation for damages including:
When you weren’t at fault for the injury, or another party was mostly at fault, you shouldn’t be left holding the bag for damages.
The timing of a scooter accident claim in Seattle is sensitive. While you don’t want to file a claim against the appropriate insurance company so soon that you can’t yet know the extent of your damages, it’s also not a good idea to wait too long. In the event that the insurance company fails to offer an acceptable settlement, you could choose to pursue compensation through a lawsuit, but the state limits the amount of time you have in which to file. In Washington, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is three years from the date of the accident. Attempting to file past this date will result in a judge tossing out the case.
Scooter accidents and injuries are on the rise: 14,651 injuries were reported in 2018. In fact, motor vehicle injury rates are 400 times lower than scooter injury rates. The injuries that result from scooter accidents can range from minor to severe. The most common injuries we see are the following:
Electric scooter accidents result mostly due to inexperienced riders or pedestrian mishaps on sidewalks or roadways. A majority of scooter riders are injured when they are hit by vehicles. If you are injured because you were hit by a driver, a Seattle accident lawyer can help you recover.
Generally, a scooter rider is at-fault for any injuries or damages caused to pedestrians, vehicles, or damages property. A rider’s car insurance is unlikely to cover any vehicle under 4 wheels and homeowners insurance does not cover scooter accidents.
This may seem frustrating because it is unclear how you can recover due to an injury from a scooter accident.
These popular scooter rental companies are self-insured which means they do not have an insurance company that pays out their claims. Instead, you must seek recovery from the company themselves. Recovery can be difficult if you are a rider or injured pedestrian because Lime or Bird can deny your claim for any reason. Additionally, it is not clear what documents or evidence they require in order to prove a successful claim. In fact, neither company has released much information about how to recover or how much injured riders or pedestrians can recover from the company.
This may change in the future for accidents involving Lime scooters. Lime has partnered with Allianz, a third-party insurance company. However, Allianz coverage is not available in the United States yet.
A Seattle scooter accident lawyer is skilled in recovering from self-insured scooter companies. All non-riders should hire a scooter accident attorney to assist them in recovering financially from a scooter rental company. An attorney can help you navigate the claims process and present evidence that bolsters your claim. Including:
Lime & Bird will deny a rider’s claim if they contributed at all to the accident by riding negligently and carelessly. They are also likely to deny a rider’s claim for riding without a helmet. A Seattle scooter accident attorney can help you build evidence to combat these claims and ensure liability does not fall squarely on you.
If the accident was caused due to a faulty scooter, an attorney can also help you present evidence of the scooter’s malfunction in order to recover fully from the scooter rental company.
These companies will do everything they can to convince you to take a settlement amount that is lower than what you deserve. A skilled Seattle scooter accident attorney can help you gather evidence to present to the company and negotiate with the company on your behalf.
In the event that the settlement amount is less than you desire or doesn’t fully cover your medical bills, a scooter injury attorney can assist you in filing a personal injury lawsuit against the scooter company. The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is two years in the state of Washington.
Further, an attorney can help you file a products liability action against the scooter company if the injury resulted from a faulty scooter. The statute of limitations for a products liability claim is three years from the date of injury in Washington.
Scooter riders have very little protection and sustain serious injuries when accidents occur. Some common causes of scooter accidents in Seattle include:
When scooter riders experience accidents, injuries range from minor to severe. According to a survey of scooter riders in Seattle, an average of 48 scooter accidents occur each month.
If you’ve had a collision either with a scooter or while on a scooter, you could have serious injuries that prevent you from doing anything other than waiting for help; however, if you’re condition allows you to move safely and use your phone, taking the following steps can help protect yourself physically and financially.
You can also hand your phone to an uninjured person and ask them to help by following these important steps:
Once you arrive at the hospital, have a thorough medical evaluation and tell the provider about all of your symptoms. Ask them to write out a detailed report and include your prognosis and their recommendations for your treatment. Gather all evidence, including the police report, medical report, hospital bills, and photos, and then call the Seattle scooter accident attorneys at The Fang Law Firm before you speak to insurance company representatives.
When Seattle issued permits to the three scooter companies, the city also instituted rules that all scooter riders need to follow.
At The Fang Law Firm, we have decades of experience in accident litigation. Our skilled attorneys are standing by to assist you in navigating the complex insurance claims or personal injury lawsuit process. Call us today at (206) 489-5140 for your free case consultation.