Electric and motorized scooters have become a go-to option for short-distance travel in Marietta. Riders use them to commute, run errands, and cut through traffic in areas where parking is limited. But on public roads and at intersections, those riders share space with pickup trucks, delivery vans, and passenger cars, and the size difference alone can cause serious injury if an accident happens.
If you’ve been injured in a scooter crash, claims adjusters for the at-fault driver may push you to settle for an unreasonably low amount. If you resist, they may insist that this is their best or final offer, or suggest that your scooter injuries aren’t as severe as you claim. It’s a lot to deal with when you’re trying to recover.
The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. represents injured riders in Marietta and throughout Cobb County and beyond. Our law offices have recovered over $150 million for injury victims and have pursued successful claims against negligent drivers, rental companies, and other responsible parties. If a scooter crash has left you injured, The Champion Firm is ready to help you pursue the maximum compensation you're owed.
Why Hire Our Firm for Your Scooter Accident Claim?
Insurance companies routinely blame scooter riders for their own accidents and injuries, which can be incredibly discouraging. At The Champion Firm, we fight back against this type of victim-blaming and build strong claims showing who was really at fault and why they should compensate you. When you hire our Marietta personal injury law firm, you benefit from the following:
- Dedicated Personal Injury Representation: Our Marietta scooter accident lawyers routinely handle accident claims involving vehicle collisions and negligent drivers. We investigate thoroughly and use physical evidence, crash documentation, medical reports, and witness accounts to establish who was at fault and what damages resulted.
- Detailed Accident Investigation: After you hire us, our legal team goes straight to work. We review police reports, witness statements, and traffic camera footage. We also examine the crash location to identify hazards in the road that contributed to the collision. If you rented the machine, we’ll also look at scooter maintenance records.
- Strong Insurance Negotiation: Our personal injury lawyers communicate with insurance providers on your behalf from the start. When insurance companies respond with low settlement offers or deny claims, we counter with evidence justifying a claim for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
- Access to Professional Resources: When necessary, we can collaborate with medical professionals and accident reconstruction specialists to evaluate your scooter injuries and confirm how the crash happened. These analyses can make your insurance claim even stronger.
- Consistent Client Communication: As your personal injury claim progresses, you’ll get regular updates on what’s happening. Our scooter injury lawyers never leave clients wondering where things stand or what comes next.
- Trial Readiness: If the insurance company continues to lowball, we’re prepared to file a personal injury lawsuit and take the case to trial. Local insurance companies know it, too, which is why going to court rarely happens.
Scooter accident claims can involve multiple parties, from the driver who hit you to a scooter rental company that failed to maintain its equipment. Our Marietta personal injury lawyers identify every responsible party and demand the full compensation you're owed.
Scooter Laws in Georgia: An Overview
Electric scooters are legal to ride in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-350, riders must obey the same traffic signals, speed limits, and roadway rules that apply to all other vehicles on public roads. Riders also need to follow any local traffic laws their city has adopted for micromobility devices.
- Where Scooters Can Be Operated: Riders can take electric scooters on roads with posted speed limits of 35 mph or lower. Bike lanes and multi-use paths are also permitted where local rules allow scooter access. Riders who take scooters onto roads outside these parameters can encounter fault disputes if a motor vehicle accident happens.
- Where Scooters are Restricted: Electric scooters can't be ridden on limited-access highways or roads with speed limits above 35 mph. Sidewalk riding is also prohibited under Georgia law, and several cities, including Atlanta, have added their own enforcement measures on top of that.
- Age and Helmet Rules: Riders must be at least 15 years old to operate an electric scooter on Georgia public roads. Any rider under 16 is required by law to wear a helmet. These rules exist because scooter crashes can result in severe injuries, even at speeds well below 20 mph.
- Passenger and Safety Rules: Electric scooters in Georgia are legally intended for one rider at a time. Carrying a passenger is not allowed and can even factor into liability after a crash. Riders must also obey traffic signals and stop signs, the same as any other vehicle operator on the road.
- Speed and Equipment Rules: Electric scooters in Georgia can't exceed 20 mph. Many are also required to have working lights and reflectors. A scooter that doesn't meet these equipment standards can raise questions about liability for a motor vehicle accident.
Common Causes of Scooter Accidents
Scooter riders are vulnerable on public roads: a motor vehicle that outweighs a scooter by several thousand pounds leaves little margin for error when a driver makes a careless decision at an intersection or in a turn lane. Common accident causes include:
- Drivers Failing to Yield: Drivers turning left across oncoming traffic or pulling out of driveways and parking lots often fail to yield to scooter riders in their path. Scooters are also smaller and lower than most motor vehicles, making them harder to spot at intersections.
- Distracted Driving: A driver who looks down at a phone for five seconds while traveling 35 mph covers the length of a football field without watching the road. Unfortunately, scooter riders in that path have no protection, especially when a larger vehicle like a truck collides with them.
- Unsafe Lane Changes: Drivers who change lanes without checking their rearview mirrors or blind spots can clip or strike a scooter rider traveling alongside them. Scooters don't occupy much space, which makes them easy to miss during a hasty lane change. The impact of a sideswipe at highway-adjacent speeds can throw a rider off the scooter and into traffic.
- Dooring Incidents: A driver or passenger who swings open a car door into an active bike lane can send a scooter rider over the handlebars without warning. These crashes happen fast and leave riders with facial injuries, broken wrists, and shoulder damage from the impact or from hitting the pavement.
- Speeding and Aggressive Driving: Drivers who exceed posted speed limits or follow scooter riders too closely reduce the time and distance available to stop or avoid a collision. Aggressive drivers who tailgate, cut off, or force riders toward curbs or parked cars can cause scooter accidents without making direct contact.
- Poor Road Maintenance and Surface Hazards: Potholes, cracked pavement, raised utility covers, and debris in protected bike lanes can cause a scooter rider to lose control. Georgia government entities are responsible for keeping public roads in reasonably safe condition, and a failure to repair known hazards can give rise to a claim against the city or county.
- Defective Scooters or Malfunctioning Components: Brake failures, steering defects, and battery malfunctions have all been linked to scooter crashes. When a mechanical failure causes a crash, the claim may run against the manufacturer, the rental provider, or both.
Potential Liability in Scooter Accident Claims
Motor vehicle accident claims don't always point to a single responsible party. Depending on how a crash happened, liability can fall on a driver, a company, a government entity, or some combination of all three.
- Negligent Drivers: Drivers who fail to yield, change lanes without checking, speed, or drive while distracted can be held liable for the scooter injuries that result. Their auto insurance policy is typically the first source of compensation in a claim.
- Scooter Rental Companies: Rental providers like Lime and Bird have a responsibility to inspect, maintain, and repair their fleets before putting scooters back into service. A company that rents out a scooter with worn brakes, a malfunctioning throttle, or defective lights can face liability when that equipment failure contributes to a crash.
- Scooter Manufacturers: When a crash results from a design defect or a manufacturing error rather than poor maintenance, the manufacturer of the scooter or its components can face a product liability claim.
- Government Entities Responsible for Road Maintenance: Cities and counties in Georgia have a duty to maintain public roads in reasonably safe condition. When a pothole, crumbling pavement, or missing signage contributes to a scooter crash, the government entity responsible for that road can face liability.
Compensation Available After a Scooter Accident
The compensation available after a scooter accident is tied directly to the losses you’ve suffered and will continue to suffer due to the crash. Current Georgia statutes allow injured riders to pursue both economic damages, which have a calculable dollar value, and non-economic damages, which account for the physical and emotional toll of their scooter injuries. Examples include:
- Emergency Medical Treatment: Medical expenses for ambulance transport, emergency room care, diagnostic imaging, and surgical procedures that follow a scooter crash are all recoverable as part of a personal injury claim.
- Ongoing Medical Care and Rehabilitation: Scooter injuries may need follow-up surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and specialist appointments that continue long after the initial emergency treatment.
- Lost Income: You can claim any income lost while recovering. Pay stubs, tax returns, and employer records establish what you were earning before the crash. Self-employed riders can document their losses using business records and client invoices.
- Reduced Earning Ability: When scooter injuries leave a rider unable to return to their previous job or work at the same capacity as before, the lost future income is recoverable. Vocational experts can calculate the difference between what a rider would have earned over their working life and what they can now earn, given their limitations.
- Pain and Suffering: Georgia law allows injured riders to recover compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life that result from scooter injuries. The severity of the injuries, the length of the recovery, and the lasting impact on a rider's daily life all factor into how these damages are calculated.
- Property Damage: The cost to repair or replace a scooter damaged in a crash is recoverable. Personal items damaged in the crash, such as a phone, helmet, or clothing, can also be included in the property damage portion of a claim.
What to Do After a Scooter Accident in Marietta
When you’ve been hit while riding a scooter, your priority should be getting medical treatment. A thorough evaluation will also create a medical record that connects your injuries to the collision. Police officers who arrive in response to your 911 call will write an official crash report that documents the date, location, parties involved, and the officer's observations about fault.
- Photograph the Accident Scene and Injuries: Photographs taken at the scene can capture road conditions, vehicle positions, skid marks, debris, and visible injuries before anything is moved or cleaned up. Take photos from multiple angles and distances, and photograph any damage to the scooter as well.
- Collect Contact Information from Witnesses: Bystanders who saw the crash can provide statements that corroborate your account. Get the name and phone number of anyone who stopped or approached the scene. Witness accounts carry weight with insurance adjusters and juries, particularly when the at-fault driver disputes what happened.
- Preserve Medical Records and Related Expenses: Keep copies of every medical bill, prescription receipt, therapy invoice, and out-of-pocket expense connected to the crash. Request copies of your medical records from every provider who treats you. These documents support your claim for economic damages.
- Contact a Scooter Accident Lawyer: Speak to a lawyer as soon as you know you’ve been injured. They can take over communication with insurance companies, preserve traffic camera footage and other time-sensitive evidence, and identify every party who may be liable for your injuries.
Speak to a Scooter Accident Lawyer in Marietta
If you’ve been struck and seriously injured while riding a scooter, reach out to The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. for a free consultation. We take scooter accident cases on a contingency basis, meaning there are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we win. To learn more about why we’re one of Cobb County’s top-rated personal injury firms, call us at 404-596-8044 or fill out our online contact form, and we’ll reach out as soon as possible.