Electric Scooters have been a controversial and dangerous addition to many big cities and the companies renting these are looking to expand in our area. Companies with fun names like Bird, Ofo, Mobike and Jump are renting these electric scooters by the minute and all you need is a cell phone, a credit card and some balance and off you go. What are the actual laws and responsibilities related to these scooters and what is at risk?”
California law requires someone to be 18 years old, have a driver’s license and a helmet to rent an e-scooter but these laws are routinely ignored. The California Legislature is even ready to sign off on a law sponsored by Bird for anyone 18 or older to ride without a helmet. The Bird business model created by former Lyft and Uber executive Travis VanderZanden and he suggests people will voluntarily abide by the rules. This idea is pure fantasy in our experience. Few riders wear helmets as required. Many ride double which is forbidden and sometimes this includes children. People ride them and leave them on sidewalks and create hazards for pedestrians.
The reports of damage have been fast and furious since these scooters were introduced. A 39 year old Mother in Santa Monica swerved to avoid a toddler who ran in front of her, fell forward and broke both bones in her right arm. Her injury required plates and pins in her arm along with weeks of physical therapy. While she is expected to recover, her health insurance says her car insurance should pay her medical bills and her car insurance says it won’t cover a crash on a 2 wheel vehicle.
In another incident in Santa Monica, rider Hannah Dewitt was using the scooter to cover the last mile between public transportation and her office. She was scootering on a sidewalk and as she rode down a curb she encountered uneven pavement, her backpack shifted and she fell to the street breaking her arm near the shoulder. She says she won’t bother telling Bird as she feels there is no point. Hannah says when she electronically signed the agreement she agreed to give up her day in court otherwise they couldn’t continue to function. We are here to get you that day in court and to get you compensation for your injuries.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when they refuse to follow the law. We help with serious issues that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth. We have over 80 years of experience in our plaintiff’s only law firm. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We Can Help!
