It can be easy to suffer injuries in a scooter accident that may leave you hospitalized and facing a long journey to recovery. Our Columbus scooter accident lawyers are ready to take on your case to recover your losses.
Scooter Accident Damages You Could Recover
Scooter claims are not the same as traditional motor vehicle claims, so insurance companies might undervalue your claim. In some cases, they may even try to deny it. At times, scooter injuries can be just as severe as major car accident claims.
People who have been injured in scooter accidents could be entitled to many kinds of damages, including:
- Medical bills, such as emergency care, emergency transport, surgery, ongoing care, physical therapy, medications, assistive devices
- Past and future lost wages
- Lost earning capacity, if your injuries require you to take a lower paying job
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Mental anguish
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment of life
An insurance company may be very quick to offer you a low settlement to resolve your case. However, an attorney who knows what your case is worth can review the offer and handle your negotiations for reasonable damages.
For a free legal consultation with a scooter accidents lawyer serving Cincinnati, call 614-545-3930
Types of Scooter Accidents We See in Our Ohio Personal Injury Practice
Some scooter accidents we see our clients suffer from include:
- Collisions with vehicles: Since the average car is much larger than a scooter, the scooter operator can suffer extreme injuries. This is especially true because the scooter operator likely only has a helmet for protection from impact.
- Collisions with pedestrians: An average person not paying attention can easily cause a collision with a scooter, resulting in serious injuries to both parties. Negligence can be more difficult to prove in these cases, especially if the pedestrian claims you were riding where scooters are not allowed.
- Scooter defects: Some scooter accidents are simply the fault of scooters not functioning properly. For example, Lime scooters have a history of braking unexpectedly and throwing their riders off. These accidents can be very complex and require a rigorous investigation to determine liability.
The liable party can be different in each one of the scenarios listed above. Some cases could even involve multiple defendants. Our team will investigate your accident to determine the liable party or parties.
Cincinnati Scooter Accident Lawyer Near Me 614-545-3930
Your Scooter Accident Case Is Limited by Timelines
There are time limits when it comes to how long a person has to file a scooter accident lawsuit. Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10 establishes that a person generally has two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit for product liability, bodily injury, or personal property damage. Failure to take action within this time frame can remove your opportunity to seek damages.
Also, an attorney will need considerable time, usually months, to conduct their own investigation into the accident. People who wait too long to consult a personal injury lawyer risk the possibility of an attorney not having enough time to handle the case.
When a person is killed due to a scooter accident, the statute of limitations can change. This is because the decedent’s date of passing becomes the new cause of action instead of the accident date, per Ohio Revised Code Section 2125.02. Our lawyers can help in this case, as well.
What Is Involved With Proving Fault for a Scooter Accident?
The proof required for scooter accident damages will depend on the injured party. When a scooter rider is injured because of another party’s negligence, they will have to demonstrate that:
- The other party had a duty of care: Duty of care differs depending on the person. Manufacturers have a duty to create safe products for their customers. Drivers have a duty to keep other road users safe from undue harm.
- The other party violated this duty: Drivers behaving erratically, or manufacturers skipping safety tests are examples of violating the duty of care.
- The violation caused an accident: Continuing with the examples, the erratic driver didn’t see the scooter, or the part broke during the vehicle’s operation lead to an accident.
- The accident led to the victim’s injuries: You suffered physical and emotion injuries that lead to financial losses, referred to as damages.
A useful tool to demonstrate these elements is a police report. After any injury accident, it is prudent to call the police. The original police report filed at the accident scene will likely be helpful to the claims process. It provides time, date, contact information, and a third-party perspective of the accident.
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Things to Remember After a Columbus Scooter Accident
Every person involved in a scooter accident should seek immediate medical care after the accident. Do this to protect your case and your health. Not all major injuries involve immediate symptoms.
Regardless of how confident you are that somebody else was at fault for your Columbus accident, it might not be in your best interest to speak to any insurance company. Consider letting a scooter accident lawyer speak to an insurer on your behalf. This way, you do not say anything that might ultimately jeopardize your claim.
Learn About The Fitch Law Firm LLC
If you sustained serious injuries in a scooter accident near Columbus, you should contact The Fitch Law Firm LLC as soon as possible. John Fitch is a former president of the Franklin County Trial Lawyers’ Association. He is also a member of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Kirstin Peterson received her undergraduate and law degrees from Ohio State University. The Fitch Law Firm LLC is proud to handle cases in Ohio. Between John Fitch and Kirstin Peterson, our firm offers more than three decades of legal experience and is committed to helping our clients get justice.
Call The Fitch Law Firm LLC Today, So We Can Begin Working Toward Justice
You have nothing to lose by speaking with our team about your case. The initial consultation for discussing your case will be free. Also, you will not pay our Columbus lawyers anything unless we recover compensation for your scooter accident injuries first.
Call The Fitch Law Firm LLC at (614) 545-3930. We aim to get you compensation after an accident.
Call or text 614-545-3930 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
