More and more people in our practice areas of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts ride electric scooters. Electric scooters are oftentimes a convenient, economic, and environmentally-friendly way to travel. However, as electric scooter personal injury attorneys, we are keenly aware of the dangers that they pose.
More often than not, electric scooter drivers’ biggest danger is the motor vehicles that travel alongside them. Like motorcyclists, electric scooter drivers must be extra aware of their surroundings. This is because motor vehicle drivers often overlook or do not see smaller vehicles like electric scooters.
In light of the warmer weather just around the corner, today’s case overview will discuss a recent electric scooter accident we handled on our resilient client’s behalf!
Careless Driver’s Distracted Right Turn Leads to Client’s Severe Right Shoulder, Hip, and Rib Pain
Both our client and the at-fault driver were traveling north on Wampanoag Trail in East Providence, Rhode Island. The at-fault driver was driving a passenger vehicle while our client was operating his electric scooter on the right side of the road, in accordance with the law.
In a blink of an eye, everything changed for our client. Suddenly, the at-fault driver made a right turn, across our client’s path of travel. In doing so, the at-fault driver not only failed to use their turn signal, but was also using their cell phone.
The at-fault driver’s carelessness caused our client to strike the at-fault driver’s passenger side front fender and side-view mirror. This effectively ejected our client from his scooter, and caused him to fly up and over the vehicle’s hood. Our client touched the ground again on the other side of the highway!
After the accident, the East Providence Fire Department evaluated our 54-year-old client. He was experiencing severe right hip, right shoulder, and right rib pain, as well as obtaining visible lacerations, abrasions, and road burn to his head and right shoulder.
They admitted our client at Rhode Island Hospital shortly thereafter, where medical professionals also treated him for chest and back pain. Unfortunately for our client, his initial evaluations and treatment received on the day of his accident would only be the beginning.
What Happens if I Have A Preexisting Condition After an Electric Scooter or Other Motor Vehicle Accident?
If you have a preexisting condition, meaning, any medical condition, illness, pain, or injury from before your accident, it is especially important that you contact a personal injury law firm, like Bottaro Injury Lawyers, right away.
In short, this is because insurance companies will often attempt to use your preexisting condition as an excuse to not pay for the necessary medical treatment required. They will attempt to argue that any new pain you experience existed before the accident.
This is the situation our client found himself in. After the initial accident, our client felt progressively worse. As the days and weeks passed on, our client received X-rays and subsequent medical care for his existing injuries. In the course of doing so, medical professionals uncovered that he had a punctured lung and that screws from a past back surgery became loose, therefore causing our client severe pain. He attended physical therapy and continues to work with medical specialists to address his nightly back pain.
How Can the Electric Scooter Personal Injury Attorneys at Bottaro Injury Lawyers Help Me with My RI or MA Case?
Once our client hired us, we immediately took over the situation so he could focus on healing. We located and reviewed police reports, photographs, and witness statements, among other documents. We were able to confidentially argue that the careless driver was not paying attention and was thus entirely at fault for our client’s injuries.
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we often work with clients who have undergone previous surgeries such as back, hip, and spine surgeries. While preexisting conditions are relatively common, we fight for insurance companies to pay for any aggravation done to your existing injuries as well. We made sure our client was financially covered in this case.
We also calculated the value of our client’s case. In our calculation, we included all doctor’s appointments, medical treatments, physical therapy sessions, current and future pain and suffering, and lost wages, among other factors. In the end, we secured a $250,000.00 settlement for our client to cover all his medical expenses and more. We were glad to be a small part of our client’s road to recovery after his life-changing electric scooter accident!
It’s Good to Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Top-Rated Personal Injury Help
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we care for people. Attorney Mike Bottaro and his award-winning legal team handle all types of personal injury cases, including electric scooter accidents, throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. We can even help on cases in other states as well. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call us at 401-777-7777, or fill out our free and confidential online form. We are here to serve and help you!