Faulty Equipment Injures Bird or Lime Operator: Austin Attorneys

For the myriad cyclists navigating the city's heavy traffic, the bike lanes in Austin, Texas are essential. The recent influx of popular dockless scooters, however, has further crowded the city’s roadways and caused numerous problems for bicyclists, pedestrians, cars, and riders alike.

The beauty of dockless electric scooters is that they are accessible from any smartphone, and provide a convenient, environmentally-friendly substitute for a Lyft, Uber, or public transportation. But, the wide availability of these scooters to the public comes with natural complications, too. In fact, due to their sizable presence on streets and roadways in Austin, local doctors say there is an uptick in scooter-related accidents. Some of these accidents occur due to negligent or careless scooter operations, while at other times, faulty equipment is the cause.

Indeed, regulatory laws and statutes related to the use of dockless scooters are still new and evolving. Because of this, the guidance of a lawyer in the event of injury is crucial if you are seeking reparations for damages in a case of faulty equipment injuries on a Bird or Lime scooter. If such an accident has happened to you, the Austin accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw can help.

Anyone who uses a dockless scooter from either Bird or Lime expects these companies to maintain the scooters well. Naturally, these companies should produce scooters that do not fail the rider. However, any good lawyer knows that faulty equipment does show up. A few examples of faulty equipment that can cause an injury or collision for dockless scooter operators can include:

• Brake malfunction or failure: Dockless scooters utilize a simple handbrake mechanism. If there is an issue with the cable running from the handbrake to the back tire, riders may not be able to stop and react as soon as they need to.
• Electric charge failure: If the scooter's power system or battery electricity malfunctions, that can prevent it from the proper and safe operation.
• Onboard bell damage or ineffectiveness: The only real safety precaution on a scooter to warn oncoming traffic is a ‘horn,’ which is nothing more than a small bell on the handle. Loud traffic can easily drown the scooter's warning. The yells of a scooter operator can get lost in this way too.
• Tire malfunction: If the tires on a dockless scooter are over-inflated or poorly made, they can further endanger a rider, especially if there is other debris on the road.
• Safety light failure: While larger cars are legally required to include a properly functioning pair of headlights and taillights, scooters are poorly lit and therefore difficult to see in the dark. If what little light on these scooters go out or fail to work, the chance of accident and decreased visibility increases. In a city like Austin, safety lights can be the difference between remaining in a driver’s blind spot.

If you were operating a Bird or Lime scooter and were injured by faulty equipment, the Austin attorneys at Carabin Shaw can help you with your case.

Dockless scooters are an economical and environmentally-friendly transportation option, especially for short distances. But the unfortunate truth is that they are also not very safe and provide very little protection in the event of equipment failure. If faulty equipment injured you, a Bird or Lime operator, contact an Austin attorney from Carabin Shaw today.

One of our firm’s Austin personal injury lawyers will sit down with you in a free consultation to answer all your questions about equipment failure and personal injury lawsuits. Carabin Shaw’s electric scooter accident attorneys in Austin will sift through the facts of your case, assembling the evidence, and pursuing full compensation for your damages and injuries.

When you enlist the services of our lawyers, you place yourself in the hands of some of the most experienced legal professionals in the business. Whether you are a pedestrian or Bird or Lime scooter operator injured by faulty equipment, the Austin attorneys from Carabin Shaw are here for you.

Call a Carabin Shaw attorney in Austin at 512.832.1101, or reach out to us toll-free at 1.800.862.1260.