Segway Accidents In Philadelphia

When Segways first came out in 2001, they were supposed to change how we travel. While that has not happened, Segways are still far from a rare sight in the city of Philadelphia, where Segway tours are a normal part of life in the downtown area.

However, just because Segways are not ubiquitous does not mean that Segway accidents are not a problem. In fact, because so few people own Segways, they are often underprepared in the off chance that they do get to ride them. This has resulted in numerous Segway accidents, each of which has the potential to cause serious or even fatal injuries.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a Segway accident, the personal injury attorneys at the Philadelphia law office of Gilman & Bedigian can fight for your rights and interests in and out of court to ensure you get the compensation that you need and deserve.

Causes of Segway Accidents

In general, a Segway accident typically falls into one of three categories: Those caused by the Segway rider, those caused by the driver of the car or truck that hit the rider, or those caused by a Segway malfunction.

Most people who ride Segways are on them for the first time in their lives. Very few are customary riders who know exactly how to operate them. As a result, many people who are riding a Segway are prone to making mistakes, losing control, and putting themselves and others in peril.

If you were new to riding a Segway and made a mistake that resulted in a serious injury, though, that does not necessarily mean that you were at fault. If the Segway belonged to someone else and you were using it for only a short period of time, your inability to keep control of the vehicle might not be the legal cause of the accident. Instead, it might be the lack of training that you were provided before you set off.

Motor vehicle drivers are also frequently the cause of a Segway accident. Because they are often not looking for Segways and do not expect them to be on the roads, car and truck drivers are known to not see them in the roads or crosswalks. Additionally, because Segways work so differently, many drivers are unaware of how they operate, where they can go, and how fast they move. This lack of awareness can cause a collision if a driver miscalculates the likelihood of an accident based on a misunderstanding.

Finally, Segways are complex machines, requiring weight-sensing devices and gyroscopes that need to be finely calibrated. Any defect or mistake in how they were assembled can make them difficult or counter-intuitive to control, which can lead to a serious accident if you are unable to make it go where you want it to go.

Injuries in Segway Accidents

If you do get involved in an accident while riding a Segway, the lack of protection that they provide against another vehicle or a stationary object can make the injuries you suffer serious or even fatal.

According to a case study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, one single emergency room in Washington, D.C. received 41 Segway injuries between April 2005 and November 2008. Nearly a quarter of these victims required an extensive hospital stay. Four of them needed intensive care for serious injuries that they sustained in the crash.

Most of the injuries suffered in a Segway accident involve fractures and broken bones, though neck, back, and head injuries are also common, especially if another vehicle was involved in the crash. Additionally, cuts and other lacerations are common, as are instances of road rash if the crash results in a Segway rider being thrown from the vehicle.

Philadelphia Segway Accident Attorneys

Getting hurt while on a Segway can leave you with serious injuries that can take time to heal. The medical attention that these injuries require, though, can be costly and make you miss work for a substantial period of time, putting you in a difficult position, financially.

The Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at the law office of Gilman & Bedigian can help. By fighting for your rights and interests both in and out of court, we can ensure you get the help you need and the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or at (800) 529-6162 to get the legal representation necessary to protect your rights.