Whenever a person uses a device powered by electricity, there is always the chance that they can suffer a burn injury. Electric scooters can cause several types of burn injuries which can lead to permanent disfigurement, infection, and other complications. If you were involved in a scooter accident, it is important to enlist the help of an attorney with experience in dealing with e-scooter concerns.
Fires and Electrocution
There have been problems with electric scooters malfunctioning. For example, in late 2018, the e-scooter manufacturer Lime pulled 2,000 electric scooters after several had caught on fire. Scooters even caught on fire at the company’s Lake Tahoe facility. The cause was eventually determined to be defects with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Lime eventually pulled their scooters from several cities in California and designed a new program that would allow them to catch any malfunctioning batteries.
Nevertheless, fire remains a real problem with electric scooters. If a person’s clothing catches on fire, he or she could suffer serious burns to his or her legs before the rider is even able to take action. As Electrek magazine noted, fires produced by Li-ion batteries are incredibly difficult to put out. In addition, a person riding a scooter will not have anything nearby—such as a fire extinguisher—to help them.
It is also possible to be electrocuted while riding a scooter. Electricity can cause burn injuries as well, but many electrical injuries are internal and difficult to see. If you have been electrocuted while riding a scooter, you should immediately go to the hospital.
Road Rash
Friction burns are a serious threat to anyone who rides on a scooter. This type of burn can occur when exposed skin rubs against something hard, such as concrete or asphalt. A person who is wearing shorts or a t-shirt can suffer serious friction burns on the exposed skin following a spill or crash. This type of burn is called “road rash,” and it is rife with complications.
Road rash often leads to infection, since dirt and other organic matter can become embedded in the person’s skin. Cleaning the wounds is a critical step, but going to the hospital is usually a rider’s best bet. In severe cases, skin grafts may even be necessary to help with the victim’s recovery.
To protect yourself, you should always wear pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and preferably a jacket as well, when riding an e-scooter. Gloves can also be worn to protect your hands. These precautions can go a long way toward keeping a minor scooter accident from causing major problems.
Treating Your Burns
Unless a burn is truly minor—meaning small in size and superficial in-depth—you should seek medical attention if you suffer any type of burn injury. In the meantime, never put butter or oil on a burn to cool it. Instead, you can soak a burned limb in cool water, if necessary.
If you choose not to seek immediate medical attention, you should, at the very least, keep an eye on your burns to monitor the possibility of a developing infection. If you see yellow pus draining from the wound, or if it remains red and painful to the touch for several days following the injury, you should go to the doctor because you might have an infection.
Contact an Illinois Scooter Injury Lawyer Today
At Livas Law Group, A Division of Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz, our team is committed to the safety of everyone in our community. If you were injured on an electric scooter, please contact one of our experienced Chicago e-scooter injury lawyers. Call 312-804-6102 to schedule a free, confidential consultation today.
Sources:
Lime pulled 2,000 electric scooters off the street due to threat of fire
https://www.healthline.com/health/burns