Baltimore Lime + Bird Scooter Accident Injury Lawyer
In recent years, companies like Lime and Bird have appeared in Baltimore and countless other cities across the United States, filling the sidewalks with “dockless” electronic scooters that allow riders to cover short distances quickly and affordably.
Bird, Lime, and their competitors argue that lightweight “e-scooters” are the rideshare wave of the future, bringing greater freedom and mobility to thousands of people. But while e-scooters may have advantages, they also come with a dark side that is impossible to ignore: hazards that could expose riders, and the pedestrians or vehicles around them, to the risk of injury or even death.
If you or one of your family members was injured in an e-scooter accident involving a Bird or Lime scooter, Baltimore injury lawyer Randolph Rice is ready to fight for you. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, the income you have lost due to your accident, and other damages.
With years of experience handling complex personal injury claims in Maryland, e-scooter accident attorney Randolph Rice knows how to maximize your recovery. To set up a free legal consultation regarding a scooter injury claim, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras online, or call today at (410) 694-7291.
E-Scooter Accident and Injury Statistics
According to Consumer Reports, more than 1,500 people have already been injured in e-scooter accidents since 2017. This figure was obtained by interviewing more than 100 hospitals and police departments in nearly 50 cities across the United States.
According to the report, one major city’s emergency department treated more than 350 people who suffered injuries in scooter crashes.
Common Injuries from Electric Scooter Crashes
Bird and Lime electric scooters are currently capable of achieving maximum speeds of around 15 miles per hour. If you’re used to driving, 15 miles per hour may not sound like much – but without seatbelts, airbags, or a vehicle’s protective walls, even a low-speed collision can be disastrous, especially on downhill inclines.
These dangers are heightened by the fact that scooters, compared to heavier vehicles, are more likely to be toppled by small defects or pieces of debris in the road.
In the Consumer Reports study, one medical expert said, “We’ve had multiple concussions, nasal fractures, bilateral forearm fractures, and some people have required surgery” due to e-scooter accident injuries. These injuries are described in greater detail below.
- Arm Fractures – Bilateral forearm fractures were among some of the common scooter injuries mentioned in the Consumer Reports A “bilateral” fracture is any fracture occurring on both sides, and to have “bilateral forearm fractures” means to break both forearms. Forearm fracture injuries include ulnar shaft fractures (broken ulna bones) and radius fractures (broken wrists). Scooter crashes frequently cause broken wrist injuries when the victims extend both arms in an effort to break their fall.
- Broken Nose Injuries – Consumer Reports also referenced nasal fractures, or broken noses, as another common injury in e-scooter accidents. A broken nose is not only a distressing cosmetic problem; it can also cause serious side effects and complications, including septal perforations (holes in the wall between the nostrils), deviated septum (bent or crooked wall between the nostrils), nasal septal hematoma (excessive bleeding), difficulty breathing normally, and severe pain. A broken nose can also make it harder to deal with conditions that affect respiration, such as asthma.
- Concussions – Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that occur when the head is struck, or when the brain strikes the interior of the skull. Contrary to widespread belief, even minor concussions can have lasting effects, including a heightened risk of death from repeat concussions in the future.
Other types of scooter injury claims our law firm handles in Baltimore include:
- Ankle injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Facial injuries
- Knee injuries
- Permanent scarring
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, such as sprains and strains
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Wrongful death
What Are the Dangers of E-Scooters?
Though often touted as safe and effortless, e-scooters can pose unseen dangers – not only to the individuals who are using them, but also to pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, and children. Both scooter users and others around them can be seriously injured if a collision occurs. Even without a rider, a scooter can still be dangerous to others, creating a trip hazard for pedestrians once abandoned.
Like cyclists and pedestrians, scooter riders lack physical accident protection, leaving them highly vulnerable to injury if they are hit by a car or truck. Some potential hazards of electronic scooters include distracted drivers, excessive speeding, and improper use of the sidewalk, which can lead to preventable collisions.
Lime and Bird Scooter Accident Injury Attorneys in Baltimore, MD
If you have suffered from any of these injuries or sustained a different type of injury, Rice, Murtha & Psoras are here to help. We provide aggressive advocacy, giving a voice to the injured and fighting for justice. To speak with a Baltimore scooter accident lawyer in a free legal consultation, call our law offices at (410) 694-7291, or contact us online today.
