Arkansas Lime E-Scooter Accident Attorneys: Protecting Your Rights After a Serious Injury
Scooter-sharing systems first launched in the U.S. in 2017 in Santa Monica and San Francisco. They quickly expanded across the nation, with the rollout of scooter-shares in 70 cities in 24 states by the end of 2018.
There is no question that riding an e-scooter such as BIRD, Veo, or SPIN is fun. They are innovative, unique, and a novel way to get from Point A to Point B. They don’t need fuel, and they are inexpensive to ride. However, e-scooters have also earned the reputation of being very dangerous, known to cause serious injuries, and even result in death. Reports of e-scooter injuries nationwide are frequent, reflecting how seriously a rider can be hurt if involved in an accident.
E-scooter accidents can result in broken shoulders, shattered jaws and teeth, facial lacerations, multiple concussions, nasal fractures, traumatic brain injuries, blunt head trauma, broken bones, broken noses, and fractures, not to mention other serious and traumatic injuries. No matter where research has been done on injuries sustained in an e-scooter accident, the results are the same, spelling traumatic grief and pain for scooter riders who need medical care.
Electric Scooter Statistics Nationwide
Data from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) show trends in electric scooter injuries in the US from 2014 to 2019. The NEISS study collected data on scooter riders seen in Emergency Department (ED) visits for treatment for injuries sustained in a scooter accident across the U.S. Approximately 100 hospitals were involved in the study. The results were startling to say the least, with 70,644 ED visits for injuries sustained in an e-scooter accident from 2014 to 2019.
The overall average age of the injured riders was 31.3 years, with 63.9 percent of the injured being male. The estimated number of emergency room visits jumped from 4,881 in 2014 to 29,628 in 2019. In 2017 the base rate of injuries related to being involved in an e-scooter accident was 8,269, which jumped to 15,522 in 2018. The most significant increase in e-scooter-related crashes was most noticeable in the age brackets of 15 years old to 24 years old and in the 25 year-olds to 39 years old.
The most common injury, representing 27.1 percent, was a head injury. Roughly 50 percent of head injuries were diagnosed as a traumatic brain injury. Of those patients, roughly 17.4 percent were admitted for treatment. Of note is also the fact that a head injury was also typically present with a concussion, fractures, hemorrhage, internal organ injury and/or anoxia. In 2019 there were an estimated 2,656 e-scooter accident injuries as a result of substance use, and 88.1 percent involved drinking and trying to drive a scooter.
Yet another study involving NEISS focussed on e-scooter accident cases between September 1, 2012, and December 1, 2019 – a time when e-scooter rideshare vehicles were launched. The results were eye-opening, with 102,614 estimated injuries sustained by those riding e-scooters nationwide. Hospitals located within 20 miles of an e-scooter share docking stations witnessed a substantial rise in scooter-related injuries each month.
While e-scooters can be fun and do serve a useful purpose, the chances are high that a rider can sustain serious injuries if involved in an accident. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we understand your worry and concern about recovering from a serious scooter accident, and whether or not you are going to be able to return to work. Let us help you. We’ve got your back.
Typical Causes of E-Scooter Injuries
Riding an e-scooter can be dangerous for the following reasons:
- E-scooters left in unsafe locations are a tripping hazard.
- E-scooters may not be properly inspected or maintained.
- Hitting a vehicle or being hit by a car.
- E-scooters have evolved rapidly, thus more serious injuries in an accident.
- E-scooters have a newer ability to move faster. Faster means more serious injuries in an accident.
- E-scooters are for one rider. Many riders ignore that rule.
- E-scooter riders rarely wear helmets or other protective gear.
- Many E-scooter riders do not know the law where they are riding.
- Scooter industry regulation is not uniform or comprehensive.
- Poor road and sidewalk conditions.
- Many e-scooter renters have no experience riding them.
Before taking a ride on an e-scooter, it is important to know the risks riders face using them. Statistics show that e-scooter injuries are rising each year. As more people ride them, the models and their capabilities change, the demand for quicker, easier methods of travel and the shine of a newer, innovative way to get to where you want to go quickly become enormously appealing. However, the end result of being in an accident with an e-scooter is anything but appealing.
According to a 2020 study that appeared in JAMA Network Open, there was a 222 percent hike in e-scooter injuries between 2014 and 2018. In 2019 14,651 accidents with serious injuries were reported nationwide.
It appears that approximately 80 percent of e-scooter accidents were caused by falls, with 11 percent the result of colliding with objects and 9 percent the result of colliding with motor vehicles. Approximately 26 percent of the e-scooter-related injuries were severe, 54 percent were classified as moderate, and 19 percent rated as mild.
Common Types of E-Scooter Injuries
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) National Library of Medicine, the most common injury is head trauma.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – approximately 30 percent of e-scooter riders sustain head and neck trauma, including neck fractures, skull and face fractures. There are often soft tissue injuries, egregious dental damage, concussions, and intracranial hemorrhaging.
- Injuries to extremities – may involve soft tissue damage, dislocations, fractures, and upper or lower extremity fractures or dislocations. Hip fractures and open fractures.
- Multiple body trauma – including pelvic fracture, solid organ injury, spinal fractures/injuries, rib fractures, and torso trauma.
Injuries sustained in an e-scooter accident can be profoundly serious and life-altering. They often take months or years to heal. We understand your concerns about medical bills and being able to carry on with your life. We understand the anxiety over further surgeries and how they may affect you. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we answer all of your questions and outline your legal rights and all options available to you.
Contact the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield Today
If you were involved in an e-scooter accident, call the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield by calling 479-361-3575. Our dedicated team of e-scooter accident attorneys is here to help.
Call us today for a free initial consultation and to find out what you can expect should you file a personal injury lawsuit. We know you have questions, and we can answer them for you. The Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield is just one quick call away: 479-361-3575.