In recent years, major cities across the United States have seen an influx of electric scooters, also known as e-scooters. Building on the momentum of bike share and rental services, electric scooters were presented as a new, convenient way to travel without relying on public transportation. Yet from the get-go, these scooters caused problems and soon became a public safety hazard. For instance, instead of returning the devices to a designated location, some users left scooters on the sidewalk, creating trip hazards for pedestrians.
Riding safety also came into play. Companies required users to wear helmets, but riders rarely have one on hand. Many riders also failed to read the fine print before taking an electric scooter onto the sidewalk or road, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and others on the road. As a result, injury victims started filing lawsuits against electric scooter companies.
A Connecticut personal injury lawyer can help you navigate these unique and confusing claims.
Scooter Programs Expansion Across Connecticut
E-scooter programs started strong across Connecticut between 2019 and 2022. Companies like Lynx and Bird joined Hartford LINK in ceasing operations due to financial and management issues. Programs that had popped up in New Milford, Bridgeport, Middletown, Fairfield, Ansonia, and Naugatuck had largely collapsed by 2024. However, the e-scooter programs have seen a resurgence in New Haven and Hartford.
In 2024 and 2025, e-scooter “micromobility programs” put thousands of riders back on the roads and sidewalks of the state’s largest metro areas. In New Haven alone, Veo scooters were used for more than 172,000 trips between the program’s launch in May 2025 and July 2026. Hartford also switched to Veo scooters in August 2024 from their failed Hartford LINK program. The shared scooter program logged more than 100,000 rides between August 2024 and May 2025.
Despite the ups and downs of shared services, the e-scooter trend seems here to stay. As privately owned and shared scooters become more common on roads and sidewalks, the potential for accidents and serious injuries can only increase.
What Are Electric Scooters?
Electric scooters are defined under CT Gen. Stat. § 14-1 vehicles that:
- Weigh 75 pounds or less
- Have two or three wheels, handlebars, and a board for standing while riding
- Are powered by an electric motor and human power
- Have a maximum speed of not more than 20 miles per hour on a paved, level surface
CT Gen. Stat. § 14-286 requires electric foot scooters to yield right-of-way to pedestrians. However, someone borrowing or renting a scooter may not know their legal obligations, especially if the rideshare company does not take sufficient care to ensure safe operation.
How Do E-Scooter Rideshares Work?
Before they can use the scooter, the rider has to agree to certain terms and conditions. The user must scan their driver’s license, then review the rules and operating instructions, including helmet requirements, pedestrian right-of-way, and rules of the road.
Once the rider agrees to these terms, they can use the device to reach their destination, where they leave the scooter for the next rider. Meanwhile, the app tracks the user with GPS technology and charges their account accordingly.
Why Are People Filing E-Scooter Lawsuits?
After the introduction of electric scooters, it became clear that the companies that own these devices had minimal oversight, were lax about maintenance, and did not disclose certain aspects of their operation.
This negligence has led to lawsuits against rideshare companies that set up e-scooter kiosks for public use in major metropolitan areas and on college campuses. Other lawsuits involve e-scooter manufacturers and distributors of defective products.
Plaintiffs claim that they suffered injuries due to mechanical failures caused by defective or poorly maintained scooters. Product manufacturers are charged with product defects that lead to power surges, brake malfunctions, snapping frames, and locked wheels, which have led to dangerous crashes.
At the same time, e-scooter companies like Bird and Lime face allegations of poor e-scooter maintenance, inadequate trip-and-fall prevention, and public nuisance as users crash into pedestrians and vehicles, ride without helmets, dump scooters on sidewalks, and clutter walkways.
Concerning Injuries Caused by E-Scooters
A 2025 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that most e-scooter accidents occur on sidewalks. In spite of the common incidence of sidewalk riding, few non-riders involved in the study went to the emergency room for injuries. Notably, those injuries were caused by tripping over, hitting, or trying to avoid an e-scooter left on the sidewalk.
Scooter operators in the study proved more likely to suffer injuries than bicyclists, and twice as likely to suffer injuries because of a pothole, crack, signpost, or other infrastructure. E-scooter riders in the study suffered more from concussions, loss of consciousness, and skull fractures, due largely to their lack of helmet use. While 66% of cyclists treated in the ER were wearing helmets, only 2% of e-scooter riders had helmets on.
According to the American College of Surgeons, traumatic injuries from electric scooters are on the rise. Other common injuries suffered in E-scooter accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Arm and wrist fractures
- Scrapes, cuts, and bruises
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injury and paralysis
Lack of helmet use is a significant contributing factor to these accidents, but not the only issue. Scooter operators are less likely to have protective gear with them if they decide to rent an e-scooter. Rideshare e-scooter users may also have less experience navigating obstacles, avoiding obstacles, and obeying traffic rules, especially if they are only renting the scooter for a quick trip or a sightseeing jaunt.
When rental companies fail to provide adequate education and equipment for safe operation, they can be held accountable for resulting accidents and injuries.
Riding On the Sidewalk is Often Prohibited
Because of the risk of pedestrian collisions, some states and municipalities ban electric scooters from operating on sidewalks. However, many places don’t specifically restrict this practice. As a result, high-speed scooters on walkways can cause serious injuries to both pedestrians and riders.
Even in low-congestion areas, an inexperienced scooter rider can hit a stationary object, like a pole, trash can, or bench. Riders who haven’t quite figured out the device’s operation can easily lose control at speed, causing injuries and property damage.
Added to this, dockless formats adopted by many rideshare companies don’t require the rider to return the scooter to a designated location. Although leaving the scooter upright on its kickstand is encouraged, many simply leave scooters flat on the sidewalk, creating a trip hazard for pedestrians and other riders.
E-Scooters and Car Accidents
Although scooters have the same vulnerabilities as motorcycles, they face more risks because the user is rarely experienced at successfully handling the scooter and the vehicle has a smaller profile. Scooters that don’t receive regular maintenance pose even greater risks.
E-scooter users are expected to follow the rules of the road, but many riders may be unaware, even if the rental agreement disclosed them. Uninformed scooter users may travel in prohibited bike lanes and sidewalks, alongside traffic, or try to maneuver illegally around other vehicles, creating hazards for everyone sharing the road.
Seeking Compensation Through E-Scooter Lawsuits
Since they are a relatively new form of conveyance, e-scooters were initially overlooked in regulatory laws and regulations, but states and municipalities have begun to adjust their laws to accommodate this new mode of transport. Despite these limitations, individuals injured by scooter companies and manufacturers have launched lawsuits to recover damages.
Class Action Lawsuit Against Scooter Companies
The most prominent claim is a 2018 class action lawsuit filed in California, which alleged that Bird, Lime and other scooter companies failed to anticipate how their devices could become a public safety hazard or take action after multiple pedestrians were injured and ADA-compliant access ways were blocked.
Although the plaintiff dismissed this case in 2021, injury victims are still pursuing compensation through individual personal injury lawsuits.
Individual Injury Claims
Claims in other states have pointed to increased injuries due to defective or poorly maintained scooter components. Traveling at nearly full speed, riders have fallen after the scooter’s wheels or the throttle locked suddenly, lost control due to a loose handlebar, or been hit when a dim headlamp failed to provide sufficient visibility. Bird also came under fire for a parts shortage. The company had been using old or damaged components, including brakes and throttles, to repair scooters in operation.
Let Our Team Represent Your E-Scooter Injury Claim Today
At Trantolo & Trantolo, our Hartford e-scooter accident lawyers know how confusing e-scooter claims can be. Many factors are at play, and you may not know what to do next. Our team has been fighting for injury victims since 1938, and we have what it takes to keep up with evolving accident laws. Whether you are in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or the Long Island area, we are ready to get top work for you. Call us now to start with a free, confidential case review.
