When Will The Scooter Chaos Stop?

Posted By The Law Offices of Eugene G. Bruno, P.C. Posted in: Pedestrian Accident.

When John Meuleman was heading into San Diego’s SDCCU stadium, the last thing he was expecting was that he would end up in the hospital. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened when he tripped over a dockless scooter that had been discarded right outside the entrance.

The 75-year-old man shattered his knee in four places according to medical reports. While he was recovering from the injury, he was unable to walk and had to move home to an assisted-living facility to be closer to family. His daughter explains that her father’s life deteriorated from there. His formerly active life had been ruined due to a scooter. He died within months of bone cancer and, though the family does not blame the scooter company for his death, they do say they robbed him of any enjoyment he would have otherwise had during his last few months.

“This accident was completely avoidable,” said his daughter. “What other mode of transportation can you just leave in the middle of the sidewalk with no repercussions?”

This is a common refrain right now, but at the Law Offices of Eugene G. Bruno, we know that scooters are just one of many hazards that pedestrians in and around the city face. If you need a San Diego pedestrian accident attorney, call us today.

Scary Situation

In California, there were over 14,000 pedestrian injuries and 867 pedestrian fatalities due to traffic accidents during the latest reporting year. Not included in those numbers are all of the pedestrian accidents caused by something other than a vehicle. There are no scooter accidents in those statistics, nor are there any numbers of pedestrian versus bicycle collisions. Pedestrians face dangers from a multitude of places.

The human body is fragile, not meant to absorb an impact from anything really heavy or fast-moving. When that happens, minor and major injuries can occur.

• Minor injuries can include lacerations, broken or dislocated bones, or concussions.
• Major injuries can include severe internal organ damage, a spinal cord injury, or a traumatic brain injury.

These injuries can cost a victim in many ways, from medical expenses and lost income if they cannot work to loss of enjoyment of life.

How They Happen

What kind of behavior causes these injuries? In the story above, we see that the carelessness of scooter companies and the people who ride scooters causes harm. Other times, drivers cause major problems.

• Impaired Driving – drivers who use alcohol or drugs and then get behind the wheel are a danger to anyone on or around the roadway.
• Distracted Driving – all too often we find that people crash into pedestrians because they were paying attention to their cell phones and not the roadway.
• Speeding/Aggressive Driving – so many people do not think twice about speeding, even around crosswalks and intersections.
• Moving Forward From Here

The Law Offices of Eugene G. Bruno is ready to step in and help you recover compensation for all of your accident-related expenses. This can include:

• Coverage of current and future medical expenses caused by the incident
• Recovery of income if you are unable to work
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Punitive damages

If you need a pedestrian accident attorney in San Diego, you can contact us by clicking here or calling us at 619-577-4077 for a free consultation.