Electric scooter crashes have injured riders and pedestrians, and some injured people have brought legal claims against rental companies and makers. The complaints describe hurt hands, fingers, knees and faces.
Nine people filed a class action in Los Angeles on October 19, 2018. It alleges gross negligence by Bird Rides Inc., Lime, Xiaomi Corp. and Segway Inc. No MDL has been formed.
Other claims are individual. Segway recalled about 220,000 Ninebot MAX scooters in 2025 over a folding fall hazard, and Apollo recalled Phantom scooters in 2023, but a recall alone does not show who is liable.
- Case or litigation name: Scooter injury claims, including a 2018 class action against Bird, Lime, Xiaomi and Segway
- Defendants: Bird Rides Inc., Lime, Xiaomi Corp. and Segway Inc.
- Court and docket number, when available: Los Angeles County Superior Court; docket number not stated
- MDL number, judge, and case count, when an MDL exists: No MDL
- Filing date: October 19, 2018
- Main allegations: Alleged gross negligence: that the scooters are unsafe, have manufacturing or design defects and lack adequate instructions and warnings
- Products or people involved: Riders and pedestrians injured by shared electric scooters; nine plaintiffs in the 2018 suit
Table Of Contents
- Latest Scooter Injury Lawsuit Updates
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Potential Compensation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I File a Scooter Injury Lawsuit If the Accident Was Partially My Fault?
- Can I File a Scooter Injury Lawsuit Against a Rental Company?
- What Does the Research Say About Electric Scooter Injuries?
- Is There an Official Count of Scooter Injuries?
- Can Pedestrians Hurt by a Scooter Make an Injury Claim?
- References
Latest Scooter Injury Lawsuit Updates
March 22, 2025: Segway Recalls Ninebot MAX Scooters
ABC7 New York, citing CNN, reported that Segway was recalling roughly 220,000 Ninebot MAX G30P and MAX G30LP kickscooters. The folding mechanism can fail, which is a fall hazard [1].
The company reported 68 failures and 20 injuries. The scooters were sold from January 2020 to February 2025. Riders should stop using them and contact the company.
September 2, 2023: Apollo Recalls Phantom Scooters
CNN Newsource reported a recall of Apollo Phantom V1, V2 and 60V electric scooters by Apollo Imports [2]. They were sold between June 2021 and May 2023. A front wheel bolt can break.
The CPSC cited at least seven reports and three injuries. Apollo Imports is offering a free replacement bolt to owners of the affected scooters.
September 29, 2021: NEISS Review Counts Scooter Fractures
Tischler and colleagues published a retrospective review of National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data for 2015 to 2019 [3].
The Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma carried the review. The authors identified 5,016 electric scooter fracture patients in the NEISS records, focusing on fractures only.
October 31, 2018: Lime Pulls Some Scooters
TechCrunch reported that Lime pulled some scooters in Los Angeles, San Diego and Lake Tahoe over a battery defect in some Segway Ninebot scooters [4].
Lime said the defect affected less than 0.01 percent of its fleet. The removal was a company action rather than a CPSC action. Lime said a manufacturing defect could cause battery smoldering or fire.
October 19, 2018: Class Action Filed in Los Angeles
Insurance Journal reported that nine plaintiffs sued the rental operators Bird Rides Inc. and Lime in Los Angeles County Superior Court [5]. The suit also names their manufacturers, Xiaomi Corp. and Segway Inc., and alleges gross negligence.
The plaintiffs claim the companies knew the scooters were dangerous and deployed them in a way certain to cause injuries.
Who May Be Affected?
Riders and pedestrians hurt in or near a scooter crash may be affected. Denver7 reported that the complaint in the 2018 class action describes injuries to both [6]. Fracture patients were also counted in the NEISS review.
Owners of Segway Ninebot MAX G30P or MAX G30LP scooters appear in recall reports. So do owners of Apollo Phantom V1, V2 or 60V scooters. Your own facts decide whether you qualify, through an individual legal review.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The 2018 complaint lists injuries to hands, fingers, knees and faces. In multiple cases the plaintiffs needed stitches or surgery. These are allegations and not court findings.
Insurance Journal reported injuries ranging from severe gravel rash to knocked-out teeth. In the Tischler review, fractures of the upper extremity were the most common, at 25.4%. This kind of review does not prove fault by any company.
Recall and Regulatory Background
A recall alone does not show who is liable for a crash. The updates above cover the Segway and Apollo recalls and Lime’s removal of scooters. Read more on our Apollo scooter recall and Lime scooter recall pages.
Evidence to Preserve
Records from the crash and your treatment can matter if you pursue a claim. Keep these items:
- Photographs of the scene, the scooter and your injuries
- The scooter model, serial number, app or rental receipt and trip record
- The rental agreement or terms you accepted
- Medical records and bills
- Names of witnesses
- Communications with the rental company, manufacturer or insurer
- Lost-wage records
- The damaged helmet, clothing and device
Filing Deadlines
Each state sets its own filing deadline for an injury claim, based on where you live and when you were hurt. Talk to a lawyer promptly about the time limit, because courts may refuse a late case.
Potential Compensation
An injury claim may seek several categories of damages. These include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage.
A court may cut damages if the injured person shares the fault. The Cornell Legal Information Institute calls this comparative negligence [7].
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Your facts shape potential compensation in each case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I File a Scooter Injury Lawsuit If the Accident Was Partially My Fault?
You can file a scooter injury lawsuit even if the accident was partially your fault, depending on your state. Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia bar recovery under contributory negligence. Almost one-third of states follow pure comparative negligence, including California and New York.
Can I File a Scooter Injury Lawsuit Against a Rental Company?
Yes, a scooter injury lawsuit can name a rental company such as Bird or Lime. Bird told The Washington Post, as Denver7 reported, that there is no evidence electric scooters are more dangerous than bikes.
What Does the Research Say About Electric Scooter Injuries?
Research on injuries from electric scooters found that some fractures were most strongly associated with direct hospital admission. These were fractures of the upper leg and lower trunk, plus internal organ damage. The Tischler authors write that “without appropriate educational and public health efforts, these injuries will continue to rise.”
Is There an Official Count of Scooter Injuries?
No official national count of injuries from scooters existed when the suit was filed, because hospitals code patients by type of injury rather than by cause. Researchers later used the NEISS database to study scooter fractures.
Can Pedestrians Hurt by a Scooter Make an Injury Claim?
Pedestrians hurt by a scooter may make an injury claim, and pedestrians were among the 2018 plaintiffs. The complaint alleges two plaintiffs tripped over scooters left on a sidewalk, and four were rammed from behind while walking, including a 7-year-old boy.
References
- https://abc7ny.com/post/segway-recalls-220k-scooters-due-fall-hazard-including-ninebot-max-g30p-g30lp-kickscooters-cpsc-says/16069852/
- https://www.wect.com/2023/09/02/electric-scooter-recalled-due-potential-injury-risk/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8517197/
- https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/31/lime-recalls-some-scooters-due-to-fire-concerns/
- https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2018/10/31/506097.htm
- https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/class-action-lawsuit-accuses-electric-scooter-companies-of-gross-negligence-due-to-injuries
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/comparative_negligence