E-scooters have skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade. They’re generally easy to navigate, and better for the environment than motorcycles or mopeds. Companies like Bird, Lime, Segway, and Razor have invested billions into their scooters to meet demand and control the market.
However, even with that much money spent, e-scooters still aren’t as safe as they could be. Many scooters suffer from serious defects and malfunctions. When a scooter is defective, it can create dangerous situations in which operators and bystanders suffer serious or fatal physical injuries.
If you’ve suffered injuries in a scooter accident in Texas because the vehicle malfunctioned, you could be entitled to compensation. An experienced Round Rock scooter accident attorney can help you identify the defect, prove it caused your scooter accident, and fight to help you recover the compensation you’ll need in the weeks, months, and years to come.
What Is a Defect?
A defect is a problem with the way an e-scooter is designed, manufactured, or marketed. In Texas, a company like Bird or Lime can be liable if a scooter it rents or sells suffers from one or more of these types of defects, and that defect causes an accident in which a rider is injured or killed.
- Design defects exist when a scooter is unsafe because of an issue with its design. This often means that a component of the scooter is problematic, like the battery or tires. If a scooter could have been designed in a reasonably safer way without adding too much cost to the project, the company can generally be strictly liable for accidents related to the design defect.
- Manufacturing defects exist when a scooter isn’t assembled properly. These defects can affect a single e-scooter or an entire assembly line. For example, a manufacturer might be liable if it becomes clear that the frame wasn’t welded together properly, resulting in weakening and equipment failures.
- Marketing defects exist when a scooter company fails to relay important safety risks associated with normal use of the vehicle or misleads a user about the product’s capabilities or performance. Failing to warn a consumer about risks can set the stage for a product liability lawsuit.
When a rider or a third party is injured because of a scooter defect, the manufacturer can be strictly liable for resulting medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. If a defect results in a fatal accident, a wrongful death attorney can help surviving family members pursue justice and compensation on behalf of their loved one.
What Are the Most Common Scooter Defects?
Many defects are hidden or hard to identify until they become a serious problem. If you own a scooter or rent a scooter regularly, these are a few of the most common scooter defects you’ll want to look out for:
Faulty Brakes
While brakes can wear down over time, they shouldn’t fail or malfunction early on in a scooter’s lifetime or in a well-maintained vehicle. Faulty brakes can occur if they’re installed improperly by the manufacturer, misaligned, or have faulty electronic braking systems installed.
When a scooter’s brakes are defective, a rider might not be able to stop their vehicle safely at an intersection, avoid a collision with a pedestrian or a bicyclist, or prevent a crash with a nearby vehicle. In some cases, sensors installed in scooter braking systems have been known to cause uncontrolled, sudden, or excessive braking.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are widely popular in household and personal electronics, and also in vehicles like scooters. However, lithium-ion batteries are known to suffer from a phenomenon called thermal runaway, which can cause the battery to overheat, catch on fire, and/or explode.
Frame Defects
If a scooter’s frame isn’t solid, the vehicle itself has an unstable foundation. Frame defects can be related to welding issues, cracks, or warping, often signs of inadequate materials. If a frame has any weaknesses, it’s possible for it to break apart during operation, or for other components, like the handlebars or deck, to snap off or stop working.
Faulty Tires
Texas law requires all e-scooter tires to be “roadworthy.” If tires aren’t installed correctly, are misaligned, are under- or overinflated, or are simply of poor quality, there’s a high chance that they could blow out during a ride.
Handle Bars
Scooter riders use the vehicle’s handlebars to steer and navigate. If handlebars break off from the frame, stick, or fail, the scooter can become difficult (or impossible) to control safely. Folding e-scooters, in particular, may suffer from handlebar defects if the stem detaches from the base because of poor craftsmanship or design.
What Should I Do If I Get Into a Scooter Accident Because It’s Defective?
Contact an experienced scooter accident lawyer as soon as you can. The sooner an investigation can get underway, the better your odds of winning a product liability lawsuit will be. Dow Law Firm will carefully investigate your scooter accident, searching for information that can point to the fact that a defect caused your crash.
Evidence that can help to identify a defect might include:
- Reports of similar issues submitted to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Scooter designs and blueprints
- The e-scooter’s manual
- Damage to the scooter and other property
- Medical records identifying your accident-related injuries
- Video footage of the accident obtained from dash cams and surveillance cameras
- Photographs of the scooter, the scene of the accident, and your injuries
- Testimony from eye-witnesses
- Expert testimony provided by engineers, accident reconstructionists, mechanics, and other specialists
Gathering this evidence quickly and thoroughly can make all the difference in your case, which is why partnering with a Round Rock scooter accident lawyer early on gives you the best chance of holding the manufacturer accountable.
Seek Guidance From a Scooter Accident Attorney at Dow Law Firm
At Dow Law Firm, our team of Round Rock scooter accident lawyers will work closely with experts to build a claim that proves your scooter was defective and holds the manufacturer accountable for the harm it’s caused.
If the scooter manufacturer refuses to offer you a fair settlement, we won’t hesitate to take them to court. The last thing a company wants is for its unsafe product to be front and center of litigation, so this can encourage them to shift gears, acknowledge your injuries, and take real steps to make things right.
Our personal injury lawyers offer free initial consultations, so contact our dedicated scooter accident attorneys at (512) 240-9951 or complete our online form to discuss your scooter accident claim today.