Ocala Scooter Accident Lawyer
Electric scooters became a popular form of transportation several years ago. Companies such as Lime and Bird allow people in Ocala to use an app to quickly and easily rent scooters to get around town. Others purchase their own for private use. While it’s easy to see the benefits of riding a scooter in Florida, it is not without risks. Still, you have rights if another party’s negligence caused you to suffer severe injuries in an accident.
If you suffered injuries in a scooter accident, connect with our Ocala personal injury lawyers today. Meldon Law extends a helping hand in your time of need, offering comprehensive legal services that aim to recover compensation for your losses.
Hurt in a scooter accident that wasn’t your fault? Call (352) 373-8000 to learn more about how we can help. We offer free, no-obligation consultations.
Our Ocala Team Prioritizes Seeking Fair Compensation for Your Scooter Accident
When you entrust your case to Meldon Law, your legal goals become our mission. Throughout each phase of the claims process, you can trust our team to seek everything you need and deserve to move forward from this turbulent time. Compensation in your case could offer coverage for:
Economic Damages (Your Financial Injury-Related Losses)
Economic damages are your injury-related losses that have direct financial values. They often come with receipts, bills, and invoices that demonstrate their worth. Compensable economic damages in your case could include:
- Medical bills: All scooter accident-related medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, at-home nursing care, prescriptions, and future treatment.
- Lost income: Wages lost due to missing work during recovery and reduced earning capacity (if there is a permanent disability).
- Other related costs: Out-of-pocket crash-related costs, such as property damage, transportation, and in-home assistance, are compensable.
Non-Economic Damages (Subjective Losses)
Non-economic damages are those that are harder to quantify because they don’t have fixed dollar values. They could include:
- Pain and suffering: Based on the type and severity of physical and emotional trauma caused by the injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Diminished ability to participate in activities and hobbies that previously brought fulfillment
- Loss of consortium: The loss of companionship the injured person offered to their significant other
The exact value of a scooter accident claim can vary substantially based on the specific medical prognosis, relative fault, liable insurance coverage, and state laws. A Florida scooter accident lawyer from Meldon Law can offer their insights into the value of your claim and what damages you can recover.
Keep In Mind the State’s Civil Filing Period for Lawsuits
Under Florida Statutes § 95.11, scooter accident victims typically have two years from the date of their crash to take legal action and file an injury lawsuit. You could have more time to act if you didn’t discover your injuries until after the collision–-but you shouldn’t assume anything about your legal options without consulting a lawyer. Misunderstanding the statute of limitations doesn’t give you more time to act. Once the two-year period expires, that’s it––your right to file a lawsuit has ended.
For that reason, we encourage you to consult with our Ocala personal injury lawyers at your earliest convenience. While two years may seem like a long time, building a strong claim requires starting the investigative process as soon as possible. Your scooter accident lawyer in Ocala will discuss the time limit as it applies to your claim and explain your next steps.
Why Entrust Your Legal Matters to Our Ocala Scooter Accident Team?
Meldon Law believes that every injured claimant benefits from hiring a personal injury attorney. Having legal representation can be a good idea if you’re unsure of how to navigate the claims process and seek what you’re rightfully owed. Entrusting your claim to a lawyer also grants the time you need to focus on your recovery period, rather than complex legalities.
You Never Pay Upfront Fees or Costs to Retain Our Help
After suffering a scooter accident, it may seem like your bank balance just gets lower and lower. On top of paying rent and making ends meet, you may have worries about affording legal representation. Since we first opened our doors in 1971, we’ve helped injured claimants recover damages on a contingency-fee basis.
Here, we only get paid our attorney’s fees if you recover compensation for your injury-related losses. We don’t stress out our clients by charging hourly rates and fees. Our attorney’s fees come from your awarded settlement.
We Manage Your Case From Start to Finish, Putting Your Needs First
When you entrust your case to the Ocala scooter accident lawyers at Meldon Law, we seek fair compensation by:
- Investigating the collision: Your lawyer will collect police reports, traffic camera footage, witness statements, and other evidence to build the strongest case possible. The information your lawyer gathers can also refute unfair allegations of fault.
- Calculating your losses: Your lawyer will add up your bills, invoices, and receipts to determine the cost of your economic damages, such as medical bills. They will assess key factors of your situation to learn what you deserve for pain and suffering.
- Dealing with insurers: The liable insurance company in your case could belong to a negligent driver or represent the manufacturer of the scooter itself. In either scenario, our team handles communications with these entities, protecting your rights at each step.
- Filing your insurance claim: Filing a claim involves understanding your damages’ cost, along with the coverage options available.
Often, we resolve cases through negotiated settlements. Yet, if the other party refuses to settle or employs bad faith insurance practices, we can file a lawsuit and have a judge decide on the matter. As noted, we have just two years to file your case until the statute of limitations ends. So, we encourage you to call Meldon Law and set your case in motion now.
We Understand Florida Law Surrounding Scooter Accident Claims
Our team is well-versed in the many local, state, and federal laws that apply to personal injury cases. For instance, even if you were partially responsible for the accident, you could still seek damages under the state’s comparative negligence laws. However, any compensation you are eligible to recover will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if you were not wearing a helmet at the time of your scooter accident, you may be found partly to blame for the severity of a head injury. If you were found to be 40 percent at fault, your compensation would be reduced by 40 percent. So, if your damages cost $1 million, in this scenario, you could only recover $600,000.
Situations like these are why many people hire personal injury lawyers to handle their scooter accident claims. When you hire Meldon Law, you get more than a legal advocate; you get someone who can answer your questions and use their understanding of civil procedure to your benefit. Connect with our team now when you dial (352) 373-8000.
Our Ocala Scooter Lawyers Prove Your Collision’s Cause
Learning the cause of your accident is critical to determining the liable party. As noted, we use your case’s evidence to get an idea of what happened before, during, and after the collision. Our findings may reveal that one or more of the following contributors led to your injuries:
Driver Error
When a driver makes a careless mistake, the results can be catastrophic for a scooter operator. Driver error can include:
- Speeding
- Illegal turning
- Improper lane changes
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Drunk driving
- Disregarding the right-of-way
Our team stands ready to hold the negligent driver accountable for their carelessness.
Poor Road Maintenance
While potholes and large cracks in the road may not be a huge deal for passenger vehicles, roads that have not been properly maintained can cause dangerous conditions for smaller, two-wheeled vehicles, such as scooters.
If you were injured in a scooter accident caused by poor road maintenance, you could sue the local government. This comes with many obligations that aren’t present in standard injury claims. Rest assured, our team can handle the legal legwork that goes into holding a government agency accountable.
Manufacturer Defects
Many injuries result from malfunctioning electric scooters. Faulty brakes, uncontrollable acceleration, and locking wheels are just some of the issues that have caused scooters to operate unsafely. If you suffered injuries from a scooter malfunction, we can file a case against the product manufacturer.
Contact Our Ocala Scooter Accident Attorneys Today
Electric scooters became popular due to their convenience and eco-friendliness. Yet, operators are perceived as being “less than” when it comes to sharing the road. Some motorists rely on the size of their vehicles to overpower scooters––often resulting in injurious consequences.
If you were injured in a scooter crash, the personal injury attorneys at Meldon Law can help hold the responsible parties liable so you can obtain compensation. Schedule a consultation with an Ocala scooter accident attorney today by calling (352) 373-8000.
