Motor scooters, such as Vespas and electric scooters, have become more popular in recent years as alternatives to driving or walking. Many people enjoy riding around on scooters because they are easier to handle and navigate than motorcycles. However, with the increase in scooter usage comes an increased risk of accidents.
Vespa and motor scooter accidents in Richland can cause injury and damage to you and your property. However, if you are injured, you can seek financial compensation after an accident. Our skilled motorcycle crash attorneys at Telaré Law can assist and support you in making a claim.
While motor scooters often seem like bicycles, they can travel faster and weigh more, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries to pedestrians and bystanders. Scooter crashes happen for many reasons, such as a driver getting distracted by their phone or operating their vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Another common cause of motor scooter crashes is aggressive driving, such as speeding, blowing through stop signs or traffic lights, and weaving in and out of traffic on the road or on the sidewalk.
Even though scooters are not cars and generally not as dangerous, they can still cause serious injuries in an accident, such as:
A Richland attorney can help you document your injuries and prepare for a legal claim for compensation from a motor scooter wreck. We can gather evidence on your behalf, interview witnesses, and see who might be at fault for an accident and how.
Your legal claim based on injuries from a motor scooter accident will likely come from negligence—a person’s unreasonable behavior that causes injury to another. Negligence claims typically require proof of four elements: duty of care, breach of that duty, causation, and damages.
A motor scooter rider has a duty to ride safely and carefully in accordance with applicable rules of the road, and riding recklessly, distracted, or impaired could breach that duty. You also need to show that the scooter driver’s breach directly caused the accident and your injuries, which need to be expressed as legal damages (medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among others).
But before you can prove your claim in court, you need to file within the statute of limitations. This state requires you to file a personal injury claim within three years of the injury under Revised Code of Washington § 4.16.080, and if you do not file within that three-year period, you can lose all right to compensation.
Also, you might need to account for your actions leading up to the motor scooter accident. This state uses a system of negligence that can assign fault to anyone involved, including you as a plaintiff. As set out by RCW § 4.22.005, your compensation can decrease in proportion to your partial fault for an accident, although you should still recover some damages as long as you are less than 100 percent responsible for your injuries.
Working with a lawyer in Richland shortly after a Vespa or motor scooter crash can help you figure out how and when to file your claim within the statute of limitations. We can also help you prove the negligence of the other party and how to show your lack of fault.
You should, of course, prioritize your health after an accident by seeking medical attention. But once you are able, you can and should look toward pursuing compensation for any injuries.
Telaré Law stands ready to assist with claims based on Vespa or motor scooter accidents in Richland, from hearing your story to gathering evidence and filing your claim. With a client-focused approach that puts you first, our attorneys can work with you and on your behalf. Call our offices for a case consultation today.