Motor scooters are an increasingly popular transportation option in urban areas because of heavy city traffic and the high price of gasoline. Unfortunately, some drivers are not as diligent as they should be about paying attention to their surroundings. Sometimes, they collide with—and severely injure—motor scooter riders who are not doing anything wrong.
If you recently suffered injuries in a motorbike wreck that was not your fault, call Valero Law Group as soon as possible. You may have grounds to demand civil compensation for the harm you have unjustly sustained. Our firm’s skilled attorneys often handle cases involving Vespa/motor scooter accidents in San Bernardino. We will fight to achieve a positive resolution to your claim.
What Rights and Responsibilities Do Motor Scooter Operators Have?
California law treats motor scooters and mopeds as roughly equivalent to motorcycles in most situations. While there is no requirement for motor scooter or moped owners to obtain liability insurance coverage before riding on public roads, they must be at least 16 years old, have valid motorcycle licenses, wear safety helmets while riding, and obey the traffic regulations that apply to other types of motor vehicles. There are also special license plate and registration requirements for certain types of motor scooters, as a qualified attorney can explain in more detail.
In addition to having most of the same responsibilities as motorcyclists, motor scooter operators have all the same rights while they ride on public roads. This means a motor scooter rider can make full use of a traffic lane without having to share it with another vehicle and can expect other drivers to maintain safe distances from their motorbike. If a driver in San Bernardino collides with a motor scooter rider because they did not give that rider a safe amount of space or they otherwise violated traffic laws, that driver may hold civil liability for all injuries and losses stemming from the resulting crash. Call Valero Law Group today to discuss the state laws that apply to motor scooter crash cases.
Demanding Fair Compensation for a Motor Scooter Injury
A comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand over a San Bernardino motor scooter crash can incorporate economic and non-economic forms of harm that are directly related to the accident. These include:
- Medical bills, including the expected cost of long-term rehabilitative and maintenance care
- Expenses related to personal property damage, such as motor scooter repair and replacement costs
- Lost work income and benefits and future earning capacity
- Physical discomfort and pain
- Emotional trauma and anguish
- Lost enjoyment of life, diminished quality of life, and other intangible effects of permanent disfigurement or disability
Generally, courts will not impose punitive damages against someone found at fault for a motor scooter wreck in addition to making them pay for compensatory damages such as the ones listed above. However, courts may make exceptions for incidents involving a defendant’s intentionally malicious actions or egregious negligence, such as driving with a very high blood alcohol concentration.
Call Valero Law Group’s San Bernardino Attorneys To Discuss Your Motorbike Wreck
In theory, riding a motor scooter should not be more dangerous than walking, bicycling, or driving a car or truck. In practice, though, motor scooter operators often suffer extremely serious injuries from traffic collisions because almost no safety gear separates them from the full force of the crash impact.
After a motorbike collision, it is crucial to get help from dependable legal counsel as you pursue fair financial restitution for injuries you suffered because of someone else’s negligence. Call Valero Law Group today to schedule a private consultation about your case. The firm’s attorneys have considerable experience in representing the victims of Vespa/motor scooter accidents in San Bernardino.
