Legal Review: Hurt By a Lime Scooter? You May Have a Claim

By Personal Injury Attorney John J. Sheehan of the Law Office of John J. Sheehan

Lime scooters have been taking the country by storm for many years.

This transportation rental company places scooters at various locations throughout major cities. When users want to use one, they can open up a mobile app, rent the scooter and return it to a different docking station when they reach their destination.

Minus a few problems, such as scooters littering the sidewalks in Arizona, the company has seen much success, as the scooters have been increasing in popularity. In February of 2019, though, Lime was made aware of a very big problem with their scooters.

The problem was that the scooters were experiencing what Lime called “excessive braking.” All of a sudden, the scooters would come to a stop, sometimes throwing users from the scooter. In a post on their website in February, Lime warned users of the problem, even though it said that it affected less than one percent of those that used the scooters.

The statement also warned users to always wear a helmet when on the scooter, and to avoid obstacles such as potholes in the road. It also forewarned against riding a scooter downhill at top speed, as that was when most accidents happened.

“Manufacturers, sellers, rental companies, these are all individuals and organizations that have a responsibility to those they serve,” said John J. Sheehan of the Law Office of John J. Sheehan. “When they fail to do so, anyone injured by their actions, or inaction, can file a lawsuit to collect compensation for their losses.”

That is just what one man did. Three days before Lime issued the statement on their website, a man filed a lawsuit against the company. He stated that soon after he began his ride, the scooter came to a complete stop. He was thrown into the street and sustained several injuries.

Lime says that they have now fixed the issue. In fact, they promised to fix it within just days of the announcement on their website. However, that does not mean they are completely immune from liability from here on out.

Those injured could still file a lawsuit if they were injured on a Lime and believe a defect was the reason they were hurt.