Electric scooter accidents and personal injury claims
Electric scooters – also known as 'e-scooters' – offer a convenient and fun way to get from point A to point B. But their rise in popularity, particularly in city centres, is mirrored by increasing numbers of electric scooter crashes, e-scooter accidents and electric scooter injuries. Shine Lawyers can help if you’ve been injured in an e-scooter accident.
Who can make an electric scooter accident claim?
If you’ve suffered electric scooter injuries, it’s important to understand your entitlement to claim compensation, regardless of who was at fault and your injury circumstances. Your electric scooter injuries may include:
Broken bones
Depending on the seriousness of your electric scooter injuries, you may be eligible to make a superannuation claim.
Who is my e-scooter accident claim against?
Your e-scooter accident claim will depend on:
Whether the e-scooter is rented or privately owned (as e-scooter insurance can depend on this)
The circumstances of your electric scooter injuries (such as whether you were riding the scooter or were hit by a scooter)
The state or territory of your e-scooter accident, as each has different rules
E-scooter accidents on the road
Unlike motor vehicle accidents, there is currently no compulsory third-party (CTP) scheme for e-scooters. This means there’s no mandatory insurance if you’re injured on the road in an e-scooter accident whether as an e-scooter rider or pedestrian.
It’s important to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after you’re injured. Our team of personal injury experts will:
Listen to what happened
Outline your injury claim options based on the circumstances of your injury
Help you to understand what compensation you may be entitled to claim
E-scooter accidents in a public place
Depending on the circumstances of your electric scooter injuries, you may have a personal injury claim under the relevant public liability laws in your state or territory.
As with electric scooter injuries involving a motor vehicle, it’s important to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer, so they can advise you on your best e-scooter accident claim options for your specific circumstances.
Electric scooter accidents around Australia
In Australia the rules for riding private and hired e-scooters differ between states and territories. It’s important to know the rules for your own state or territory, which include:
In Queensland, you can ride electric scooters in public spaces, along footpaths, some bike lanes and even on some roads
In New South Wales, you can only ride privately owned e-scooters on private property. Shared (or hired) e-scooters can only be ridden in designated trial areas within specific NSW council areas – check with your local council for what’s allowed
In the Australian Capital Territory, the use of shared (or hired) e-scooters is limited to areas detailed on a shared e-scooter map. ACT road rules apply when using shared e-scooters in allowed areas
In Victoria legal e-scooters are only permitted on roads that have a speed limit of 60km/h or less and on shared-use paths
In South Australia, the law allows e-scooters only on private property. They cannot be used on roads or road-related areas like footpaths, bike or pedestrian tracks or in parking areas
In Tasmania, e-scooters are permitted on footpaths (unless there’s a sign saying ‘No personal mobility device’), shared paths, bicycle paths and local roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less
In Western Australia you can ride your ‘eRideable’ e-scooter on:
Footpaths, bicycle paths and shared paths
Roads where there are no dividing lines, and the speed limit is 50 km/h or less
Bicycle lanes (on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less)
In the Northern Territory, you can ride a hired Beam Mobility Australia e-scooter in public places, but only on footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes (unless prohibited)
What to do at the scene of an e-scooter accident
Remain calm and assess your injuries
Describe all your injuries and symptoms to:
Ambulance officers at the e-scooter accident scene, or
Your treating doctor, when you seek medical help (this could be your usual GP or an emergency doctor at your local hospital)
Record details like the date, time and location
If possible, get details of the parties involved and any witnesses (including names, contact information, and details of the vehicle if there was a car involved)
Take photos of the accident from multiple points of view (this will help to show what has happened and determine who was at fault)
Report the accident to the police. This is especially important if you can’t gather the details of the other parties involved. If the police attend, ask for the report number, name of the officer and their station
Making an e-scooter accident personal injury claim
Whether or not you’re eligible to make a compensation claim following an electric scooter accident depends on a few things. These can include:
The circumstances of the accident
Seriousness and impact of your injuries
Time limits to make an electric scooter injury claim
Unfortunately, there’s currently no regulated way of identifying e-scooters and riders involved in accidents. On top of this, the insurance and compensation schemes for e-scooter riders are unregulated. As a result, making a claim can be complicated and time consuming without the help of expert compensation lawyers.
What can I claim for if injured in an electric scooter crash?
If you have been injured in an e-scooter accident, you may be able to claim for things like:
Medical and hospital expenses (including at home care)
Loss of earnings
Pain and suffering
Every case is different, so it’s vital to seek expert legal advice — there may be things unique to your e-scooter accident circumstances that you can claim for. Without expert legal advice, you may be unaware of the injury compensation you could claim.
Once your lawyer knows the specific circumstances of your case, they can advise you of your best injury compensation claim options.
Check if you have a claim with our simple, free online tool.
What we will ask:
Details about the accident and injuries that have happened to you or your loved one
Basic personal information that is relevant and necessary for your claim
What happens next:
Either book a no-obligation appointment with a motor vehicle accident legal expert right away or,
Speak with our team about your options
Shine Lawyers – we’re here to help
If you have been injured in an electric scooter accident or suffered an injury after being hit by a scooter, Shine Lawyers can help.
Our team of expert motor vehicle and public liability compensation claim lawyers can help you to understand your rights and access your full entitlements for any electric scooter injuries on a No Win, No Fee* basis.
Our experts may also discover that you are eligible to access benefits through your superannuation. Our legal team members are skilled in providing you with the tailored advice you need to achieve the best possible compensation outcome.
Get in touch today to arrange an obligation-free discussion of your claim.
*Conditions apply.
Do you have a claim?
We’re here to make the claims process as simple and stress-free as possible.
