Tampa Vespa/Motor Scooter Accident Lawyer
Scooters and mopeds are a common sight on Tampa streets these days. Many people choose to use scooters such as Vespas as a lower-cost alternative to four-wheel vehicles or even motorcycles. And many tourists and recreational users simply see scooters as a fun way of moving around the city.
As with any vehicle, however, a rider may be seriously injured in an accident involving a scooter. If that accident was the result of someone else’s negligence, the injured rider has the right under Florida law to seek compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and other losses. The Tampa Vespa/motor scooter accident lawyer at Anderson & Anderson can represent you in taking legal action against the responsible parties. Our Florida personal injury lawyers can review your scooter accident, determine who may owe you compensation, and take legal action on your behalf.
How Do Vespa and Motor Scooter Accidents Happen in Tampa?
Florida law does not require the rider of a motor scooter to register or insure their vehicle. For all practical purposes, scooters are classified as bicycles. This means that the operator of a Vespa or motor scooter has the same legal rights and responsibilities as bicyclists. That said, many local governments in Florida can–and do–adopt local ordinances regarding where riders may legally operate scooters within their jurisdiction.
When it comes to Vespa and motor scooter accidents, the reasons are largely the same as with bicycle accidents. In many cases, it comes down to a motorist not following the rules of the road with the scooter. At Anderson & Anderson, we frequently see motor scooter accidents arise from the following causes:
- A distracted driver fails to see a motor scooter in time.
- A driver fails to check their blind spots for a scooter.
- A driver causes a collision because the use of drugs or alcohol impaired their ability to safely operate their own vehicle.
- There was a defect in the scooter itself, or one of its parts, that caused a mechanical failure.
- Poor road conditions, usually due to defective maintenance, caused the scooter operator to lose control.
A critical consideration in any Vespa or motor scooter accident is the role of Florida’s comparative negligence rule in personal injury cases. The defendant in a personal injury claim arising from such accidents can argue the scooter operator’s own negligence contributed to–or was even the primary cause of–their accident. In determining comparative fault, a court may look at a number of factors, such as whether the scooter operator was wearing a helmet and obeyed all applicable traffic laws.
Contact Anderson & Anderson Today
If you can prove that another driver or third party caused your motor scooter accident, you can recover both economic and non-economic damages under Florida law. Your economic damages include your out-of-pocket costs such as medical bills and lost income, while your non-economic damages cover your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other difficult to quantify losses.
The Tampa motor Vespa and motor scooter accident lawyers at Anderson & Anderson are here to help you through this difficult period. Call us today at 813-251-0072 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.
