If I’m Injured On A E-Scooter In Tulsa, Can I Sue The City Or The E-Scooter Company?

If you are Injured on A E-Scooter in Oklahoma you may be entitled to collect damages for the injury. Often, the quickest way to get around in downtown Tulsa and Oklahoma City is on a motorized scooter. These small, wheeled devices seem to be everywhere around town. They’re on street corners and zipping along bike paths and roadways with riders standing tall at the controls. Despite their apparent simplicity, motorized scooters are not kids’ toys. These have powerful electric motors that can quickly get a rider up to 25 mph on city streets. This is where they might mingle with cars, bikes, and even pedestrians going about their business. In reality, each year many innocent people are injured on a e-scooter accidents in you state.

Injured On A E-Scooter, What’s The Law?

Keeping up with their rapid rise in popularity, Tulsa city officials have created rules and ordinances for motorized scooters. A recent law lists a class of transportation devices called Small Vehicles, including bicycles, electric bikes, and electric scooters. Tulsa officials warn that the city ordinance that forbids riding motorized scooters on city sidewalks will be enforced. This is due to a high risk to pedestrians from the devices if used unsafely near where people are walking. This leaves scooter riders to use bike paths, or to mingle with cars on city streets, which can be dangerous.

Who Is Responsible If I’m Injured In A Scooter Crash?

When you rent a motorized scooter on your smartphone, you agree to specific terms and conditions from the scooter company. Some terms are that you will wear a helmet, be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and stay off the city sidewalks. Remember, though, that the company is not having you agree to these terms for your benefit. Rather, they are doing their best to protect themselves from legal liability if someone is injured. 

The question, then, is, who is responsible for paying for the damages if I’m injured in a scooter crash? Many people wonder whether they can sue the scooter company or the city if they are injured in a scooter accident. The answer is that it depends on some essential facts. 

Legal Responsibility For Harm

The basic rule of legal liability says that a person or company that is negligent and causes an injury or wrongful death is responsible for the costs and expenses of that injury. So, if you were a pedestrian struck by a scooter that someone else was riding, you might have a claim. This can be against that rider for liability for your injuries. It’s critical to understand that most car insurance coverage does not cover scooter incidents. Therefore, you may not be able to make a successful claim against the scooter operator’s car insurance. Moreover, you can’t even use your car insurance coverage. This is even to pay for the costs of treatment for any injuries caused by a scooter crash.

Sometimes an injured person may be lucky enough to have accident insurance on their own that covers this kind of accident. Additionally, there may even be a double indemnity clause in the contract the kicks in for this kind of accident.

If you are injured in a scooter accident as a rider, you may have different options for legal action If the scooter was defective in some way. This might include a faulty tire, a bad brake line, or a weak handlebar that fell off when you hit a bump. This kind of defect might mean the scooter rental company is legally responsible. This can be for injuries that result from flaws in how the machine was put together or their maintenance of it. It’s also possible that the scooter manufacturer could be responsible for a defect in how the scooter was built.  

Road Hazards May Lead To Compensability

Suppose a road hazard contributed to the crash. This can be unexpected damage to the road surface or a pile of construction materials left in your path without clear markings that caused you to lose control and suffer injuries. In that case, there is a chance that you may have a claim against the City of Tulsa or a construction company. They can be responsible for leaving hazardous conditions on the roadway.

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Oklahoma E-Scooter Accident Attorneys

If you are injured on a E-Scooter in Tulsa or Oklahoma City we can help. Placing legal responsibility and getting payment for scooter crash injuries from the party that caused the crash can be more complicated than it seems. The best course of action if you’ve been injured in a scooter crash is to get qualified legal advice. Call the experienced injury law attorneys at Kania Law Office at 918-743-2233 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.