E-scooters are becoming almost as prevalent as motorcycles and bikes; in fact, some experts have estimated that there are upwards of 10,000 currently sharing the roads.
Of course, as a result, these bikes are also becoming the subject of accidents linked to serious injuries and wrongful death. In fact, according to one reporting emergency room that has dealt with these injuries, doctors there reportedly address nearly a dozen injuries related to these scooters every single week, and that includes some individuals who are driving e-scooters under the influence.
Claims related to these accidents aren’t always straightforward, in part because many of the scooters are rented from companies such as Bird, Lime, and Spin, rather than being individually owned, like cars. These three companies specifically provide for Smartphone applications, labeling, and safety instructions. Some also require proof that the rider is eligible to drive (i.e. a driver’s license to confirm that they are at least 18 years old) and mandate basic helmet safety training before a first ride.
Still, of course, collisions and accidents will happen regardless of these basic mandates put in place by the scooter rental companies. So who is responsible when they do? The following litigation has already been filed against some of these companies:
In addition, Lime just recently stopped operations in Switzerland in order to investigate a potential software malfunction that reportedly made its scooters brake for no reason. Globally, Lime also supposedly had to recall some scooter models for spontaneously breaking apart and, at times, catching on fire.
