Yes. While a scooter rental company might ask you to sign a waiver, it doesn’t mean you can’t file a personal injury claim if you get hurt while riding their device. Your legal rights and the claims you’ll be able to pursue successfully will really depend on the language in the waiver, what caused your scooter accident, and who’s liable for your injuries.
Consulting an experienced Round Rock scooter accident lawyer at Dow Law Firm can help ensure that you’re able to exercise your full rights under the law and pursue compensation for the full extent of your scooter accident injuries.
What’s in a Scooter Rental Waiver?
When you rent a scooter in Texas, you sign a contract in which you agree to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for the right to use the company’s equipment. The contract will often include provisions about prohibited conduct (i.e., things you cannot do while riding the scooter), like operating the equipment without a helmet or violating local scooter laws.
Most rental companies include liability waivers that indemnify them if you get into an accident. By signing the contract, you agree to give up the right to sue the rental company for your injuries.
A rental waiver may also include language that holds you, the scooter operator, liable for any damage to the scooter.
While the waiver can be valid and protect the rental company in certain instances, it won’t preclude you from taking legal action altogether.
Further, waivers can often be challenged in court. If a waiver is too vague, too broad, or unreasonable, a court can void the waiver and give you the right to hold the rental agency accountable if it contributed to your scooter accident in some way. An experienced scooter accident attorney can evaluate the specific language of your waiver to see if it holds up under Texas scooter laws.
What Are My Legal Rights If I’ve Signed a Waiver For a Rental Scooter?
If you’ve signed a valid, clear, limited-in-scope liability waiver, you might only be able to sue the rental company for gross negligence or malicious or intentionally harmful actions. However, scooter rental companies aren’t the only ones that may be responsible for a scooter accident.
Under Texas law, you can pursue compensation from anyone who contributed to your accident. The right to sue other parties isn’t waived when you sign the rental agreement. A scooter accident lawyer in Round Rock can help you identify any responsible third parties.
Depending on why your scooter accident happened, you might be able to file a personal injury claim against a:
- Scooter manufacturer
- Driver of a passenger vehicle
- Government agency responsible for road maintenance and safety
- Scooter operator
- Property owner
- Equipment manufacturer
- Transportation service
- Bicyclist
- Pedestrian
- Negligent party’s employer
Liability waivers can certainly complicate matters if you get into an accident on a rental scooter in Texas. The best thing you can do to protect yourself and increase the likelihood of recovering compensation is to contact an experienced scooter accident attorney for help.
Dow Law Firm is a top-rated personal injury law firm dedicated to helping accident victims and families navigate high-stress, high-value legal cases. We’ve helped clients win millions. Contact our Round Rock scooter accident lawyers at (512) 240-9951 to discuss your case today.