Practice Areas/Electric Scooter Accidents
Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer
Hurt on an E-Scooter? We Find Out Who Pays.
If a driver, a pothole, or a faulty scooter put you on the pavement anywhere in Southern California, you may be owed money for your medical bills, lost pay, and pain. California does not require e-scooters to carry insurance, so the money has to come from someone else. An electric scooter accident lawyer at Pyramid Legal finds out who that is and holds them to it.
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Why E-Scooter Injury Claims Are Harder Than They Look
California gives scooter riders the same rights on the road as drivers (Vehicle Code 21221). The scooter itself is treated differently. Under Vehicle Code 21224, a motorized scooter is not a motor vehicle for insurance or registration purposes, so there is no scooter policy to file a claim against.
That means the money usually comes from the driver who hit you, the city or property owner responsible for a broken road, or the company that built or rented the scooter. Each one has its own insurer, its own excuses, and sometimes its own deadline. Our job is to find every one of them and make sure none of them get to walk away.
These crashes are common and getting more so. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that e-scooter injuries rose 22% in 2022 and estimated 360,800 emergency room visits tied to e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards from 2017 through 2022.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for an E-Scooter Crash
Car or truck driver
Right turns across the bike lane, unsafe passing, running a light, opening a door into your path
The driver’s auto liability insurance
Uber, Lyft, or delivery driver
The same driving mistakes while working
The driver’s policy or the rideshare company’s coverage, depending on whether the app was on
Scooter maker or seller
Brake, throttle, stem, wheel, or battery defects
A product liability claim against the company
Rental company (Lime, Bird, and others)
A fleet scooter that was not maintained
The company’s insurance. The rental terms you accepted in the app can affect the claim.
City, county, or state agency
Potholes, broken pavement, missing signs
A government claim, which must be filed within six months
Property owner
Hazards in a parking lot, driveway, or private path
The owner’s liability coverage
Your own auto policy may help too. Depending on how it is written, uninsured motorist or medical payments coverage can apply when the driver who hit you had little or no insurance, or drove off. If a rideshare driver was involved, see how we handle Uber and Lyft accident claims. If the scooter failed, our product liability lawyers take on the manufacturer.
Common Causes of E-Scooter Accidents
- Drivers turning right across the bike lane without looking
- Car doors opened into the rider’s path
- Drivers passing too close or pulling out of driveways
- Potholes, cracked pavement, and debris in bike lanes
- Brakes that fail, throttles that stick, and folding stems that give way
- Hit-and-run drivers
Common E-Scooter Injuries
- Head and brain injuries, including concussions
- Broken wrists, arms, and collarbones from bracing a fall
- Facial fractures and broken teeth
- Knee and ankle injuries
- Road rash and deep cuts that scar
- Neck and back injuries
Pyramid Legal fights for maximum recovery for every client. We look at what your injury will cost over the years ahead, not just the first emergency room bill.
Not sure who is responsible for your crash? We will figure it out, at no cost to you.
What to Do After an E-Scooter Accident in Southern California
Call 911 and get checked out, even if you feel fine. Head injuries do not always show up right away.
Photograph the car, its license plate, the road surface, and the scooter where it landed.
Get the driver’s name and insurance information, and phone numbers for anyone who saw the crash.
Keep your scooter and helmet as they are. If it was a rental, take a screenshot of the ride in the app.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company until you have talked to a lawyer.
Then call us. The sooner we start, the easier it is to get video footage before it is deleted and witness statements while memories are fresh.
Want the details on the rules riders must follow? Read our guide to e-scooter accident claims in Los Angeles.
How Pyramid Legal Can Help
We handle every part of your e-scooter claim so you can focus on getting better:
Investigating the Crash
We collect scene photos, nearby camera footage, the police report, and the scooter itself before any of it disappears.
Finding Every Policy
We identify every source of money: the driver, the rental company, the manufacturer, a government agency, and your own coverage.
Handling the Insurers
We deal with the adjusters and their calls, letters, and lowball offers. You never talk to them alone.
Calculating What You Are Owed
Medical bills, future care, lost income, and pain and suffering, based on what your injury will really cost.
Filing a Lawsuit if Needed
We file before the deadline and prepare every case for trial, so the insurer knows we are not bluffing.
E-Scooter Accident FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Have one that is not here? Ask us. The case evaluation is free.
Can I still get compensation if I was not wearing a helmet?
Yes. California requires helmets only for e-scooter riders under 18 (Vehicle Code 21235). An insurer may argue that a helmet would have reduced a head injury. Under California’s comparative fault rule, that argument can lower your compensation by your share of the blame, but it does not wipe out your claim.
What if I was riding on the sidewalk, speeding, or riding without a license?
You can still bring a claim. California bars e-scooter riding on sidewalks, caps e-scooter speed at 15 mph, requires a driver’s license or permit, and keeps scooters off roads posted above 25 mph unless there is a bike lane. Breaking one of those rules can lower your compensation by your share of the blame. It does not cancel your right to recover from a driver who was also careless.
How long do I have to file an e-scooter accident claim in California?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). If a city, county, or state agency is responsible, for example for a pothole, a written claim is due within six months (Government Code 911.2). Missing either deadline usually ends the case, so do not wait.
What if a scooter rider hit me while I was walking?
Pedestrians hit by e-scooter riders can bring a claim against the rider, and sometimes against a rental company or another party who shares the blame. Which insurance pays depends on the rider’s own policies, such as homeowner’s or renter’s coverage. Our pedestrian accident lawyers handle these cases too.
How much does it cost to hire an e-scooter accident lawyer at Pyramid Legal?
Nothing up front. Your case evaluation is free, and you pay no fees unless we win. You also get 24/7 direct access to an attorney while your case is open.
Get a Free Case Evaluation for Your E-Scooter Accident
If you were hurt on an electric scooter in Los Angeles, Pasadena, or anywhere in Southern California, talk to an attorney before the insurance company talks to you. Call 818-946-0763 or Get a Free Case Evaluation.
Pasadena office
1055 E Colorado Blvd, Suite 500
Pasadena, CA 91106
Los Angeles office
500 S Grand Ave, Suite 1610
Los Angeles, CA 90071
