Vespa/Motor Scooter Accidents in El Centro
While motor scooters are less common than commuter cars and motorcycles, many people in areas like El Centro and across the Golden State use these smaller machines to travel short distances across town. Unfortunately, not every motor scooter ride ends at the rider’s intended destination—something which you may have learned the hard way recently, and may still be feeling the physical, financial, and psychological effects of now.
Just like someone injured in a collision between two commuter cars, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit over injuries you suffered in a Vespa/motor scooter accident in El Centro caused by another person’s misconduct. For help obtaining a favorable case result, you should consider seeking legal representation from an experienced motorcycle collision attorney at Walter Clark Legal Group.
How Does State Law Handle Motor Scooters?
California state law defines motor vehicles with two or three wheels and engines smaller than 150 cc as motor-driven cycles or mopeds instead of motorcycles. However, it requires operators to have motorcycle licenses and be older than 16 to ride them legally on public roadways. Motorized scooters are even more strictly limited in terms of their maximum engine power and built-in features, but generally, any two-wheeled device designed with a floorboard for the operator to stand on will be classified as a motor scooter—and restricted to operation away from major roadways—rather than a moped or motor-driven cycle.
Regardless of how state law categorizes a particular vehicle, anyone lawfully operating a motorized vehicle on public roads has a fundamental right to be given a safe amount of space and respect from other drivers. This means that any driver who acts irresponsibly behind the wheel and injures a motor scooter operator in El Centro may hold civil liability for any damages that motor scooter rider suffers from their accident.
Recovering Fairly While Avoiding Comparative Fault
A lawsuit or settlement demand over an El Centro Vespa or motor scooter injury can demand compensation for every economic and non-economic form of harm that injury will result in, including:
- Medical bills
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and trauma
- Lost work wages or working ability
- Scooter repair/replacement costs and other personal property damage
- Lost enjoyment of life and other effects of permanent disability/disfigurement
However, any amount of comparative fault an injured scooter rider has assigned to them based on their own negligence prior to their wreck could then be held against them as a proportional reduction from whatever final damage award they receive. This is just one example of the many legal and procedural roadblocks a skilled legal representative could help navigate during the litigation process.
Contact an El Centro Attorney for Help After a Vespa/Motor Scooter Accident
Even though motor scooters cannot travel as fast or as far as motorcycles and other larger motor vehicles, getting into a wreck while riding a scooter can still have very serious consequences. On top of that, demanding civil restitution from the person who caused your crash can be difficult, especially if you try to do it entirely on your own.
In the wake of a Vespa/motor scooter accident in El Centro, a dedicated lawyer from Walker Clark Legal Group could provide the help you need to get the best possible case outcome. Call today to discuss your recovery options.
