Denver e-scooter accident attorney
Denver’s streets weren’t built for e-scooters. The bike lanes end without warning. The potholes don’t care what you’re riding. And when you go down, the scooter company’s first move is to protect itself, not you.
If you were hurt in an e-scooter crash in Denver, you may have a claim against a negligent driver, the scooter operator, or even the city. What you do in the days immediately after your accident determines a lot about what you can recover. At Zara Injury Law, Mike Zara has spent nearly 20 years representing injured people across Denver and the surrounding metro.
Call us at (866) 823-8288 for a free consultation.
Why injured riders choose Zara Injury Law
Attorney Mike Zara built this firm around an important principle: the people who hire him should never feel like they’re on their own. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
- Nearly 20 years of Colorado personal injury experience. Mike has gone up against insurance companies hundreds of times. He knows their tactics, like lowball opening offers and manufactured fault disputes, and he knows how to counter them.
- Direct access to your attorney. Every client at Zara Injury Law gets access to Mike Zara’s direct line.
- No fees unless we win. Zara Injury Law operates on a contingency fee structure. If we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing.
- Available 24 hours a day. We’re reachable around the clock. Evidence disappears fast after an accident. We move quickly so you don’t lose ground.
- Licensed across multiple states. Mike is licensed in Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina, with his primary practice focused on Denver and the metro area.
Client testimonials
Common causes of e-scooter accidents in Denver
Denver recorded nearly 1,900 e-scooter injuries and 8 fatalities in 2024, up from a single death in 2020, when ridership was a fraction of what it is today. The number of riders has grown from 1.57 million in 2019 to nearly 6 million in 2024, and the injuries have followed the same curve.
More riders mean more crashes. It also means insurance companies handling these claims have gotten a lot more experienced at minimizing them.
Some of the common causes:
Collisions with motor vehicles
This is the most common cause of serious e-scooter injuries. Cars turning across bike lanes, drivers opening doors into a rider’s path, vehicles that fail to yield at intersections under C.R.S. § 42-4-1412; e-scooter riders have the same road rights as cyclists in Colorado. When a driver ignores that, they can be held liable.
Defective or poorly maintained scooters
Lime, Bird, Spin, and other operators are responsible for keeping their fleets in safe working condition. Brake failures, sudden power cutoffs, loose handlebars, and GPS geofencing errors that disable a scooter mid-ride are operator negligence problems, not rider error. If the scooter itself caused your crash, the company that put it on the street may bear significant liability.
Hazardous road conditions
Potholes, cracked pavement, and unmarked construction hazards are especially dangerous at scooter speeds. If a city-maintained road defect caused your accident, a claim against the City of Denver may be possible.
Reckless or distracted riders
If another rider crashed into you (on a scooter, bike, or on foot), they can be held personally liable for your injuries and damages. Renter’s or homeowner’s insurance sometimes covers these claims.
Serious injuries caused by e-scooter accidents in Denver
Riders have almost no protection in a crash. The injuries we see most often include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord damage and vertebral fractures
- Broken wrists, arms, and collar bones
- Road rash and deep lacerations requiring surgical care
- Shoulder, knee, and ankle ligament tears
- Facial fractures and dental injuries
- Internal organ damage in high-speed collisions
- Wrongful death
Colorado doesn’t require helmets for riders over 18 (C.R.S. § 42-4-1412). Insurance companies sometimes argue that riding without one means you share fault for your injuries. That argument has limits, and we push back on it.
What to do after an e-scooter accident in Denver
Seek medical attention immediately
Don’t underestimate your injuries at the scene. Adrenaline masks pain, and conditions like TBI or internal bleeding may not be obvious for hours. See a doctor the same day; your medical records become the foundation of your claim.
Call the police
Under C.R.S. § 42-4-1412(13), law enforcement is required to file an incident report for any e-scooter injury, even when no motor vehicle is involved. Get the report number before you leave the scene.
Document everything you can
Photograph your injuries, the scooter’s condition, the road surface, any vehicles involved, and the surrounding area. Scooter companies can wipe GPS, speed, and maintenance data quickly after an incident. Nearby surveillance footage from businesses, traffic cameras, and doorbell cameras is often deleted within 72 hours.
Don’t give a recorded statement to the other insurer
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. A recorded statement that seems routine can be used against your claim. Talk to an electric scooter accident attorney before you talk to them.
Call Zara Injury Law
The sooner we’re involved, the more evidence we can preserve. Schedule your free consultation today.
Proving negligence in a Denver e-scooter accident case
Colorado is a fault state. To recover compensation, we need to establish four things:
- Duty: the at-fault party owed you a legal duty of care. Drivers, scooter operators, and the city each carry specific legal duties toward riders.
- Breach: they violated that duty through action or inaction.
- Causation: that breach directly caused your injuries.
- Damages: you suffered real, documentable harm as a result.
Colorado follows modified comparative negligence under C.R.S. § 13-21-111. If you’re found partially at fault – say, 25% – your recovery is reduced by 25%. You can still recover as long as you’re not more than 50% responsible. Insurers push hard on the fault question. We push back harder.
How an e-scooter accident claim works
Free case evaluation
We review your situation at no cost and look at what happened, who’s potentially liable, and what a realistic recovery looks like.
Investigation and evidence gathering
We move quickly: subpoenaing scooter maintenance records and GPS data, requesting surveillance footage, obtaining police reports, and working with accident reconstruction experts when the facts require it.
Demand and negotiation
We build a detailed demand package documenting your medical expenses, lost wages, future care needs, and pain and suffering. Then we negotiate, and insurers know that if they don’t offer fair value, we’ll take it to court.
Litigation, if necessary
Most cases settle. But not all of them should. Mike has courtroom experience and isn’t reluctant to use it when a settlement offer doesn’t reflect what a case is actually worth.
How long do you have to file an e-scooter accident claim in Colorado?
For most personal injury claims, Colorado’s statute of limitations is three years from the date of injury (C.R.S. § 13-80-101). For product liability claims (against a scooter manufacturer, for example), the deadline is two years (C.R.S. § 13-80-106).
If a government entity is involved (like for hazardous road conditions), the clock moves faster. You must file a written notice of claim within 182 days of your injury under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. Miss that deadline and the claim is gone, regardless of how strong it is.
Don’t wait to find out which deadline applies to your case. A Denver e-scooter crash lawyer can help you navigate this process.
Talk to a Denver e-scooter accident attorney today
You’ve got enough to deal with recovering from an injury. Let Mike Zara handle the legal fight. There are no fees unless we win. Your first consultation is free. And we’re available right now.
Call (866) 823-8288 or contact us online today.
Frequently asked questions about e-scooter accidents in Denver
It depends on what caused the crash. If a car hits you, the other driver’s auto insurance is the primary target. If the scooter malfunctioned, the operator may be liable. If road conditions caused your fall, a claim against the City of Denver is possible. Often, multiple parties share fault. We investigate all of them.
Yes. Colorado doesn’t require helmets for adults. An insurer may argue that your injuries were worsened by not wearing one. That’s a comparative fault argument, and we know how to handle it.
It depends on where. Sidewalk riding is prohibited in Denver’s central business district but permitted in residential areas. If you were technically violating a local ordinance, Colorado’s comparative negligence law may reduce your recovery, but it won’t eliminate it if another party was primarily at fault.
Most cases settle before trial. But we prepare every case as if it’s going to court, and that’s part of why we get better settlement results.
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