Boston Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer
Were you recently involved in an electric scooter accident in Boston, MA? If you were injured, you may be entitled to recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A Boston electric scooter accident lawyer at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP can help you fight to secure the maximum compensation you deserve.
Our attorneys have been fighting for Boston families for more than a decade. We’ve recovered millions in compensation to help accident victims get back on their feet–and we’re ready to put our skills to work for your family.
We offer a free initial consultation to all potential clients, so call our law offices in Boston, Massachusetts, today to schedule yours.
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How Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP Can Help After an Electric Scooter Accident in Boston, MA
When someone else causes your electric scooter accident, the victims are entitled to compensation. However, it’s the victim who has the burden of proving their right to damages. The victim is also saddled with the must prove how much their case is worth.
That can be a heavy task if you’re recovering from serious injuries. Scooter companies won’t step up and take the blame when you’re hurt. A Boston personal injury lawyer can make the process of recovering compensation much easier–and can also make sure you get the full amount you deserve.
When you hire Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP to protect your legal rights, you can count on our attorneys to:
- Conduct a full investigation into the accident
- Work with accident specialists and industry experts to prove causation
- Assess the fair value of your injury claim
- Handle all negotiations with the insurance company
- Protect your rights at trial if necessary
We have decades of experience handling cases like yours. We’re here to take the burden of fighting for fair compensation off your shoulders. Just give us a quick call in Boston, MA, today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn how we can help.
How Common Are Electric Scooter Accidents in Boston?
Accidents involving electric scooters have been on the rise across the country for years. Around 3,300 e-scooter riders were hospitalized for injuries between 2014 and 2018. That represents a 365 percent increase from prior years.
Like pedestrians and bicyclists, e-scooter riders have very little protection in a crash. In fact, a 2018 Reuters report found that nearly a third of all e-scooter accident injuries involved injury to the head.
Boston is no exception. In recent years, Lime, Bird, and other e-scooter rentals have become much more common in Boston, Brookline, and the surrounding communities. Some e-scooters have caused serious injuries. While e-scooters are now readily available, the question becomes: who’s on the hook for damages if you get hurt?
What is My Boston Electric Scooter Accident Case Worth?
Once you establish that someone else was responsible for your accident, you have to prove how much your case is worth.
The amount of damages available will depend on the circumstances of your case. Typically, more traumatic and permanent injuries increase the value of a personal injury claim. However, it’s important to remember that every case is unique.
Some common factors that will impact the value of your e-scooter accident case include:
- The amount of your financial damages, including the cost of medical care and rehabilitation
- Whether your injuries will impact your ability to earn a living
- Whether you’ve sustained any permanent impairments
- How the injury impacted your quality of life
- The amount of insurance available
- Whether your actions contributed to the cause of the accident
Auto insurance companies use their own formulas to value personal injury cases–but make no mistake, they’ll do what they can to undervalue your claim.
It’s your lawyer’s job to tell your side of the story. At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we’re dedicated to maximizing your financial recovery. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Electric Scooter Accident Victims?
Under Massachusetts personal injury law, you can recover both your economic damages and non-economic damages from the parties responsible for the crash.
Economic damages reimburse you for your financial losses.
Common examples of economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Property damage
Non-economic damages aren’t tied to any specific financial losses.
These damages are designed to compensate accident victims for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Loss of consortium
Our Boston electric scooter accident attorneys understand how to value these complex injury claims. Don’t rely on the insurance company’s assessment of damages. Let our experienced legal team help you fight for what’s fair.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for an Electric Scooter Accident in Massachusetts?
Multiple parties can share the blame for an accident. In these cases, more than one person will have failed to act reasonably under the circumstances. However, even if you were partly to blame, you may still be entitled to recover some damages.
Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence rule. That means accident victims can recover compensation if they’re less than 51% responsible for an accident. If you’re less than 51% responsible, your damages will be reduced to account for your share of the fault.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Electric Scooter Accident Injuries
Most e-scooters can travel up to 15 miles per hour–fast enough to cause serious injuries in a crash. Although people who ride motorized scooters are required to wear helmets, many e-scooter riders fail to comply.
The most common electric scooter injuries are head trauma and fractures.
However, e-scooter accidents have the potential to cause a wide range of injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal cord damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Cuts and lacerations
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burn injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Were you recently injured in an electric scooter accident? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our lawyers in Boston for legal advice today. We’ll help you fight to recover full compensation for all of your injuries.
What Causes Most Electric Scooter Accidents in Boston, Massachusetts?
E-scooters are relatively new to the streets of Boston. Scooters might be fun to zip around the city–but many users don’t have a clear idea of where it’s safe or legal to ride. That alone increases the risk of accidents, especially in areas heavily traveled by pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles.
Some of the most common causes of e-scooter accidents in Boston include:
- Lack of protected lanes for e-scooters
- Inexperienced scooter operators
- Reckless driving
- Potholes and uneven pavement
- Driving the e-scooter on the sidewalk
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Excessive speeds
- Mechanical defects in the e-scooter
- Illegal lane changes
- Failure to use turn signals
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Road hazards
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we can help you find out what caused your accident. If you were hurt, contact our law firm today to learn more.
How Do I Prove Negligence After an Electric Scooter Accident in Massachusetts?
Under Massachusetts laws, plaintiffs in a personal injury case have the burden of proving that someone else’s negligence caused their injuries. Negligence is a legal term for carelessness. If someone else hurt you after failing to exercise reasonable caution, you can hold them responsible for their negligence.
To prove negligence, you have to offer proof to support the four legal elements of a negligence claim.
That means proving:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care
- The defendant breached that duty
- The breach directly caused the accident
- You suffered damages, whether in the form of physical injuries, financial losses, etc.
It’s important to gather as much evidence as you can to help support your claim after an e-scooter crash. However, it can sometimes be tricky to find the strong evidence you need.
Our lawyers are here to help. We’ll gather valuable evidence like video surveillance footage, safety records, accident reports, and more.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Electric Scooter Accident in Massachusetts?
You don’t have an unlimited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit in Boston. Under Massachusetts state personal injury laws, most e-scooter accident victims have only three years to sue for damages. Once this statute of limitations expires, you’ll usually lose your right to compensation.
It’s always best to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. That way, we’ll have the strongest chance of holding the responsible party fully accountable for your injuries.
Contact a Boston Electric Scooter Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
It can be tough enough to get back on your feet after an accident. Let an experienced Boston electric scooter accident lawyer at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP help you recover the fair compensation you need to move forward. We offer a free consultation–and there’s no obligation to hire us. If you’re interested in learning more, just contact our offices today.