What to Do If a Car Hit You While You Were Riding an e-Scooter

Electric scooters have become a convenient and eco-friendly way to travel around Southern California cities like Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Long Beach. But when a car hits an e-scooter rider, the results can be catastrophic. Without the protection of a car frame or airbags, riders are completely exposed to the impact, often leading to serious injuries and steep medical costs.

If you were hit by a car while riding an e-scooter, it’s important to take the right steps from the very beginning to protect both your health and your legal rights.

Prioritize Your Health and Safety First

After any collision, your top priority must be medical care. Even if you feel “okay” immediately after an e-scooter accident, injuries such as concussions, internal bleeding, and soft-tissue damage may not show symptoms right away.

Take these steps as soon as possible:

Call 911 to report the accident and request medical assistance.
Stay at the scene until emergency responders arrive.
Accept transportation to the hospital if paramedics recommend it.
Keep all medical records, diagnoses, and discharge paperwork.

Your medical records can serve as evidence if you later file a legal claim. Skipping medical evaluation can harm your health and your ability to prove the severity of your injuries.

Gather Information and Evidence (If You Can)

If you are physically able and it’s safe to do so, try to collect information from the scene before leaving, such as:

The driver’s name, contact information, and insurance details
The make, model, and license plate of the vehicle involved
Photos or videos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and your injuries
Names and contact information of witnesses

If you are too injured to collect this information, ask someone else to help, such as a bystander or responding officer. A police report can also be an important document for your attorney to review later.

When Can You File a Legal Claim Against the Driver?

Many car-and-scooter collisions are caused by driver negligence, which can take many forms.

You may be able to pursue compensation through a claim if the driver:

Failed to yield to you at an intersection or crosswalk
Was distracted, such as texting or looking at the GPS
Was speeding or driving aggressively
Made a right turn without checking for riders in the bike lane
Opened a car door into your path, causing a dooring accident
Was under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Drivers have a legal obligation to share the road with e-scooter riders and exercise reasonable care. When they fail to do so, the injuries that result are not simply “accidents;” they’re preventable acts of negligence.

E-scooter accident victims and their families may be eligible to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term disability. However, preparing a strong claim usually requires evidence, medical documentation, and experienced legal guidance.

Why You Should Contact McGee Lerer Ogrin After an e-Scooter Accident

Once you’ve received medical care after being in an e-scooter accident, it’s time to contact a law firm that understands the unique issues involved in e-scooter cases. McGee Lerer Ogrin has been a leader in representing injured e-scooter riders across the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area and throughout Southern California. Founding Partner Catherine Lerer is widely recognized as one of the state’s foremost authorities on e-scooter accident law and related claims. She authored an article published in Advocate magazine, a popular legal publication for trial attorneys, providing in-depth insight into the legal complexities of e-scooter injury claims; you can view the full article by clicking here.

With her insight and the experience of our entire team, we know how to:

Investigate e-scooter crashes to look for proof of fault
Work with third-party experts to prove how the driver’s actions caused the collision
Deal with insurance companies that often try to shift blame to the scooter rider
Pursue full and fair compensation for your injuries and losses

We offer no-cost, no-obligation consultations and handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. When a careless driver disrupts your life, you deserve more than just medical care. You deserve justice, and at McGee Lerer Ogrin, we’re ready to fight for it.

Call us at (310) 775-2491 to request a free consultation with our highly experienced legal team.