Levin & Malkin has a well-earned reputation for winning substantial damages for New Jersey victims of motor scooter accidents. If you have suffered a serious injury while riding a motor scooter and the harm that came to you was due to the negligence of another, contact our office as soon as possible. During your initial consultation, our highly qualified personal injury attorneys will determine whether you have a viable lawsuit. If you become our client, we will fight with skill and determination to see that justice is done.
Although some people own private motor scooters, this mode of transportation has become most popular since 2017 when electric scooters started being inexpensively rented out by companies like Bird and Lime. The scooters quickly caught on as a cheap, convenient, pleasing alternative to public transportation and even to car travel, adding as they do flexibility and a sense of adventure to trips through city traffic. It cannot be denied, however, that motor scooter riders run an increased risk of serious injury since they have no real protection in the event of a crash.
Why Lime and Bird Motor Scooters Have Become So Popular
It is easy to see why rented motor scooters have become a favorite means of transportation since they are:
- Low cost
- Cheaply powered
- Easily paid for through apps
- Easily maneuvered
- Helpful to the environment (reduced emissions)
- Dockless (can be picked up and dropped off just about anywhere in the city)
Despite these benefits, motor scooter riders are at a distinct disadvantage when involved in an accident with even the smallest of cars since they are not enclosed by a body of protective metal.
How Our Motor Scooter Accident Attorneys Can Help
At Levin & Malkin, our experienced legal team has in-depth knowledge of state traffic and insurance law and is well-prepared to handle your lawsuit efficiently and effectively. Once we have done the necessary legwork, we will create a strategy to persuade the court that you are entitled to compensation for lost income, medical bills, and all costs related to your injury. We know how turbulent a time you and your family are going through, so we will not charge you any attorneys’ fees until we win you the damages you deserve.
New Jersey Laws Concerning Motor Scooter Travel Are Complicated
According to New Jersey law, electric scooters are distinguished by having “handlebars, floorboards that can be stood on by operators, and electric motors capable of propelling the device with or without human propulsion.” New Jersey also has particular statutes for these vehicles. Because these regulations vary among various cities, it is important to know what the rules are in the region you were traveling at the time of the accident.
If you were (even unknowingly) breaking local laws at the time the collision took place, you may be held at least partially responsible for the crash. This is one of the reasons it is essential to have a capable motor scooter accident attorney handle your case. As of May 2019, New Jersey law allows scooters to be operated on streets, and bicycle paths, but not on unpaved pathways. In addition, New Jersey law forbids drivers from riding motorized scooters on state roads.
Motor Scooter Riders Must All Obey All New Jersey Traffic Laws
Though motor scooters may seem recreational rather than vehicular, those who drive them are held to the same, or in some cases stricter, standards as other motorists. As a motor scooter rider you must:
- Obey all New Jersey bike laws and traffic signals
- Not block pedestrian traffic by parking your motor scooter on the sidewalk
- Have brakes that will stop your scooter safely
- Drive at a maximum speed of 20 mph
- Drive in the right lane unless preparing to make a left turn
- Not ride in a pedestrian lane or zone
What happens if I am partly to blame?
Shared blame is dealt with in various ways depending on state law. In New Jersey, the principle of modified comparative negligence is applied. Modified comparative negligence means that if you have been injured in a motor scooter accident and the court finds you partially responsible, the court will withhold a percentage of the damages awarded to you for your injury proportionate to the court’s assessment of your percentage of fault for the accident. If, for example, you are deemed to be 10 percent at fault and the court has assessed your compensation at $100,000, you will receive $90,000.
Injuries You May Have Sustained in a Motor Scooter Accident
As a motor scooter rider, you are likely to have suffered greater injuries than the driver and/or passengers of a car you collided with. Because of your vulnerability, even if you were wearing an approved helmet and other protective gear, you may have ended up with:
- One or more bone fractures
- Road rash
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage or loss
- Brain or spinal cord injuries
- Severe burns resulting in disfigurement
- Neuromuscular damage
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Our motor scooter accident lawyers are ready to work tirelessly to obtain the resources you and your family need to get through this difficult period and be able to foresee a secure future. It is also possible that you have tragically lost a loved one to wrongful death in a motor scooter accident. If so, the compassionate attorneys at Levin & Malkin are here to offer you emotional support and to make every effort to win you compensation for your terrible loss.
Contact Us Today — We Will Make Your Cause Our Cause as We Fight for Damages
Our talented law team has a remarkable record of successful outcomes. We would like nothing better than to add you to our list of grateful clients by obtaining damages for:
- Medical costs
- Lost income, present, and future
- Property damage or loss
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Permanent scarring or other disfigurements
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin fighting for your rights while you rest and recover from your trauma.