Atlanta Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer
Atlanta Electric Scooter Accident Attorney Overview
- How Is Atlanta Handling Scooters?
- The Hardest Cases Need the Strongest Advocates
- What Problems Do Electric Scooters Cause?
- Common Injuries From Electric Scooter Accidents
- Why Work with an Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer in Atlanta?
- Contact an Experienced Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer at Bey & Associates
Many people in cities are opting for more eco-friendly transportation options. An alternative to traveling by car is using an electric scooter. Rideshare scooters, such as Bird or Lime, are establishing a presence in major cities, and Atlanta is no exception.
They make their scooters easily accessible through an app, and users can find and ride the scooters as long as they have the app.
However, there are some drawbacks to the influx of scooters in the city. They can cause accidents when people aren’t careful. If you’ve been hurt in a similar situation, an Atlanta electric scooter accident lawyer from Bey & Associates can help.
We represent those who have been wrongfully injured. While we’re based in Atlanta, we’re proud to help anyone in Georgia. Our personal injury lawyers understand how confusing an accident can be, so we’re here to fight for your rights and get you the justice you deserve.
How Is Atlanta Handling Scooters?
The addition of scooter rideshare services has taken the city by storm, and Atlanta is working to establish regulations and laws to clarify how citizens should operate these scooters.
For example, scooter riders are strongly encouraged to wear helmets, although those over 16 are not required to wear one. For those wondering if they’re old enough to operate one of the rideshare scooters, Atlanta doesn’t have an age requirement, but the rideshare company may, and users must obey those rules.
Georgia Code § 40-6-144 prohibits motorized vehicles on sidewalks, so those who use these scooters for transportation must ride them on the street. While this is done for pedestrian safety, there is a risk of being involved in an accident with a car when riders are on the road.
Riders must obey traffic laws and may ride in bike lanes. There is also a rule about having one person on a device at a time.
There are also rules for parking the scooters. They can’t be left in a place where they block sidewalks, crosswalks, driveways, or entryways. Riders are also supposed to avoid leaving the scooters parked on narrow sidewalks.
While Atlanta can educate people about scooter use and what they can and cannot do, it doesn’t always prevent someone from acting negligently. Look at what hazards scooters can become when people make reckless decisions while riding them.
Atlanta Personal Injury Practice Areas
Medical Malpractice
Every time we enter the doors to a hospital, doctor's office, or other medical facility, we expect safe, competent care. When that doesn't happen, you deserve answers.
Car Accidents
A car wreck can change your life in the blink of an eye. If you’ve been seriously injured because of another driver’s negligence, you need help now.
Truck Accidents
Large truck and commercial truck accidents are some of the most devastating accidents we see across the United States and in Georgia.
Wrongful Death
The unexpected loss of a loved one is one of the most traumatic experiences a family can go through. When the death should have been prevented, the loss devastating.
Work Injuries
If you’ve been seriously injured while on the job, you’re likely already aware that your employer doesn’t make providing for your family a simple task.
Nursing Home Abuse
Even if you’re confident you’ve found a safe environment for them, it’s important to remember that there are negligent care facilities that abuse their residents.
What Problems Do Electric Scooters Cause?
Rideshare scooters are relatively new to Atlanta, meaning not everyone has gotten used to them yet. This could mean that riders aren’t aware of how to navigate safely on a scooter, and other pedestrians or drivers won’t know how to share the road with them.
Our electric scooter accident attorneys are familiar with the types of accidents that can occur with these devices.
While pedestrians shouldn’t share the sidewalk with scooters, people may need to use the sidewalk to get on the scooter and ride over to the road. If either person is distracted or not paying attention, they could collide.
Motor vehicle drivers may not know how to share the road with scooters. If the driver isn’t expecting to be on the road with them, they may not notice them because they’re much smaller than other cars. So, a person on a scooter could easily be in a car’s blind spot, and the driver could accidentally change lanes in front of them.
There’s also the problem of passing. If drivers want to get around on a rideshare scooter, they may not know how to judge the distance to the rider and could sideswipe them.
Those on scooters are also at risk if the person driving the car is acting negligently. Distracted driving—looking at one’s phone, eating, applying makeup—could easily lead to a situation in which the driver rear-ends a scooter rider. Because the rider has nearly no protection, they can get severe injuries.
Common Injuries From Electric Scooter Accidents
Our electric scooter accident lawyers understand that these accidents can cause considerable harm to people. There’s next to no protection when a person is riding a scooter. While a helmet can provide essential protection for the head, there isn’t a law requiring people to wear one.
If a person is in an accident, they can sustain significant head or brain injuries without a helmet. A traumatic brain injury happens when someone suffers a violent blow to the head and affects how the brain functions.
These injuries can cause permanent disabilities and death. Your crash can also result in neck, spinal cord, or back injuries. Spinal cord injuries can be hazardous because they could cause loss of function below the injury site, such as paralysis. The impact can also cause broken bones or lacerations.
A broken arm or leg will heal, but it can be painful and take a long time before you can use the limb again. Lacerations can cause permanent scarring.
If you sustain catastrophic injuries, it often has permanent effects and can prevent you from being able to work. You may also need extensive medical care to treat the injury initially, but they require ongoing care afterward, such as physical therapy.
While these injuries can require considerable care, there is also the unexpected part of recovery, where you have to learn to live with your injury. This can be a highly emotional time while you make this adjustment. Relearning how to do everyday tasks can be frustrating and severely affect your mental health.
Having to readjust how you used to do things you didn’t have to think about before your injury is a lot to deal with, and it may help to get guidance from a mental health care professional.
Your Atlanta electric scooter accident lawyer will do everything possible to ensure your compensation covers what you need to improve.
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