As if the roads in Yonkers needed to be more crowded, Bird Scooters are now part of the common traffic seen daily. While these vehicles are small, they can cause devastating accidents and injuries.
Fortunately, our experienced Bird Scooter accident attorneys can help you recover compensation for your claim. Determining who is at fault in a Bird Scooter accident is often challenging, but evidence can be gathered to show how an accident occurred. Once the liable party has been identified, our team can review your case to determine the class of scoter that injured you and what compensation options will be available.
If you sustained injuries in a Bird Scooter accident, our Bird Scooter accident and injuries attorneys can help identify the responsible party and hold them accountable. Call The Martello Law Firm, PLLC today at (914) 685-6950 for a free case consultation.
Parties that Could Be Held Liable for a Bird Scooter Accident and Injuries in Yonkers
As Bird Scooters’ popularity has grown over the last few years, so have the accidents involving Bird Scooter riders. Scooter accident cases are proving themselves to be quite complex, given the difficulty of determining who is at fault. Because Bird Scooter accidents can happen so quickly, it might only be apparent after investigation who caused the accident. Our Bird Scooter accident and injuries lawyers can help you identify the negligent party that injured you, whether you were injured while riding your scooter or the victim of a scooter rider.
Scooter Riders
If a scooter rider injured you, they can be held accountable for their negligence. These accidents can occur when scooter riders illegally ride on sidewalks or fail to look out for others on the road. The same laws that apply to motor vehicles also apply to scooters. Scooter riders must obey all traffic laws, including yielding to pedestrians. However, some scooter riders might feel like they do not need to observe these laws since they are on a small scooter. Unfortunately, even these “small” scooters can cause devastating injuries since they can reach speeds over 30 miles per hour.
Scooter riders could also be held liable for parking their scooter in an unauthorized area. Scooters should be parked in a designated docking station or available bike rack. If a rider leaves their scooter on the sidewalk, it presents a trip-and-fall hazard to those around. You could recover compensation from the careless rider if you were injured because of a negligently placed scooter.
Other Drivers
Scooters are required to share the road with other motor vehicles, so it is no surprise that negligent drivers often cause Bird Scooter accidents. Some drivers do not always pay attention and drive with care when others are on the road. Bird Scooters can get through traffic much quicker than most cars, so it is possible that a driver might think they are clear when a scooter has fast approached. These accidents commonly occur at intersections, where drivers might not check for scooters before moving through the intersection.
Bicycle Riders
There is more competition than ever for space on Yonkers’s road. Scooters will undoubtedly come into close contact with bicycle riders since they must share the same travel lanes. A careless bicyclist can get tangled up with a scooter rider if they are not paying attention, leading to serious injuries. Like scooters and other vehicles, bicycle riders must observe all the rules of the road and can be held accountable when they negligently cause a scooter accident.
Scooter Manufacturer
In some cases, your scooter injuries might have been caused by a design or manufacturing defect in the Bird Scooter. Bird Scooter and the companies that manufacture their scooters are responsible for ensuring no flaws with their products before putting them on the market. They must also provide adequate safety instructions and warning labels. For instance, if there is a flaw in the brake system, a rider could be injured because they could not stop. If a particular part in your scooter was defective, causing you injuries, our team can help identify the manufacturer of the part and help you hold them accountable.
Local Government
Lastly, the local Yonkers government could be liable for your Bird scooter injuries. Every winter leaves a new collection of potholes and other road hazards that the city is not always quick to remedy. If a scooter rider hits one of these hazards, they can be severely injured, even if they were not traveling at top speed. If it looks like the local government might be liable, you will want to get your case started as soon as possible, as additional requirements must be met before suing a government agency. Our Bird Scooter accident and injuries attorneys can help you identify the party that injured you and determine your options to recover compensation.
Legal Options After Being Injured in a Yonkers Bird Scooter Accident
Your legal options after being injured in a Bird Scooter accident will depend on the classification of the scooter involved. Depending on the scooter’s classification, a victim will either be compensated from their “no-fault” insurance or pursue damages in a lawsuit. Our Bird Scooter accident and injuries attorneys can review your case to determine what options are available to you.
Filing for Insurance
When injured in a motor vehicle collision, New York’s no-fault insurance rules provide that victims must be compensated from their own insurance after an accident. If you were injured in a bird scooter accident, you will need to file for insurance if the scooter was a Class C scooter. The New York Department of Motor Vehicles has classified scooters for legal purposes, with Class C scooters being those traveling less than 20 miles per hour. Riders of Class C scooters are considered pedestrians, so that no-fault insurance will be the first route to compensation. If you sustained serious injuries, you could also file a lawsuit.
Filing a Lawsuit
If the scooter in your accident could travel faster than 20 miles per hour, it will be considered a motorcycle. Accidents involving Class A and B scooters will not be subject to New York’s no-fault rules since motorcycles are not brought under these laws. In these situations, victims can go straight to filing a lawsuit for damages. Our Bird Scooter accident and injuries attorneys can help you regardless of the scooter involved in your accident.
Our Yonkers Lawyers for Bird Scooter Accidents and Injuries Can Help
If you were injured in a Bird Scooter accident, our Bird Scooter accident and injuries attorneys can help you recover the compensation you deserve. For a free case review, contact us at The Martello Law Firm, PLLC at (914) 685-6950.
