Prioritize your safety and seek medical attention immediately. E-scooter and e-bike crashes can cause serious injuries even at relatively low speeds: broken wrists, facial trauma, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries are common. If you're able, document everything: take photos of the scooter or e-bike (including its ID number or QR code), the scene, your injuries, road conditions, and any vehicles involved. Get the driver's information if a car was involved. Screenshot your trip receipt and any app data before it disappears. Report the accident to the rental company through the app. Under ORS 811.745, report to police if the accident involved injury, death, or more than $2,500 in property damage. Then contact an e-scooter accident lawyer. Evidence in these cases, especially trip data, maintenance records, and street camera footage, can be overwritten or lost within hours.

If a driver hit you while you were lawfully operating an e-scooter or e-bike, the driver is typically liable for your injuries. Under Oregon law, motor-assisted scooter operators have vehicle-like rights and duties on public roadways (ORS 814.510 through 814.528). Drivers must yield to e-scooters and e-bikes in bike lanes (ORS 811.050) and must pass at a safe distance (ORS 811.065). Common scenarios where the driver is at fault include right-hook turns across a bike lane, dooring, failure to yield at intersections, and distracted driving. Oregon's modified comparative negligence rule (ORS 31.600) allows you to recover damages as long as your share of fault is 50% or less.

Yes. Lime states it maintains at least $1 million in liability coverage per covered claim. Lyft, which operates both e-scooters and BIKETOWN e-bikes in Portland, carries commercial insurance for its micromobility fleet. However, these policies typically cover third-party injuries (i.e., if the rider injures someone else or if a defective scooter causes harm). If you were hit by a car while riding, the at-fault driver's auto insurance is usually the primary source of compensation. If the scooter or e-bike itself malfunctioned (defective brakes, throttle issues, battery failure), the rental company may be liable under Oregon product-liability law (ORS 30.900). An experienced attorney can identify all available insurance policies and liable parties.

Oregon classifies e-scooters as "motor assisted scooters" (ORS 801.348) with specific rules: riders must be 16 or older, must wear a helmet (ORS 814.534), must use bike lanes where available (ORS 814.514), are generally prohibited from riding on sidewalks (ORS 814.524), must walk the scooter in crosswalks (ORS 814.528), and must not exceed 15 mph. Portland's permanent e-scooter program (launched August 2024 with Lime and Lyft) also requires riders to lock to a bike rack or signpost when ending a trip. For e-bikes, House Bill 4103 (effective January 1, 2025) bans e-bikes from sidewalks. Riders under 16 must wear helmets. Importantly, even if you violated one of these rules, you can still recover compensation under Oregon's comparative negligence system as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. The insurance company may try to use a helmet or sidewalk violation against you, but it doesn't automatically bar your claim.

Yes. If defective brakes, a faulty throttle, steering failure, or another mechanical issue caused or contributed to your accident, the rental company may be liable. Rental operators have a duty to inspect and maintain their fleets. Under Oregon product-liability law (ORS 30.900), you may have claims against both the rental company and the manufacturer. However, be aware that user agreements from Lime, Lyft, and BIKETOWN typically include liability waivers and binding arbitration clauses. BIKETOWN's agreement, for example, requires users to waive their right to a jury trial unless they opt out within 30 days of first use. An experienced attorney can evaluate whether these clauses are enforceable in your case and pursue all available legal options.

If a pothole, broken pavement, streetcar tracks, missing signage, or other road defect caused your crash, you may have a claim against the City of Portland or another government body responsible for road maintenance. However, claims against government entities are subject to the Oregon Tort Claims Act. You must file a notice of claim within 180 days of the injury (ORS 30.275), and damages are capped under the OTCA: $879,200 for a single claimant against a local public body for claims arising between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Don't delay. An attorney can send the required notice and preserve evidence of the road condition before it's repaired.

Possibly. Oregon mandates Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage under ORS 742.520 for motor vehicle liability policies. Whether your PIP coverage extends to an e-scooter or e-bike accident depends on your policy language. Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may also apply if you were hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver while riding. Coverage questions for e-scooter and e-bike accidents are still evolving and can be policy-specific. An attorney can review your insurance policies and identify all potential sources of compensation.

Under ORS 12.110, Oregon gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government body is involved (road hazard, city infrastructure), you must file a notice of claim within 180 days (ORS 30.275). Acting quickly is critical in these cases because rental companies control the scooter's trip data, GPS logs, maintenance history, and may put a damaged unit back into service within hours. Street camera and doorbell footage is often overwritten within days.

Our e-scooter and e-bike accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and owe no fees unless we win your case. Our fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict awarded, typically ranging from 33% to 40%. There are no hourly charges, retainers, or hidden costs.

Yes. Senft Legal helps injured e-scooter and e-bike riders throughout Oregon, including Portland, Eugene, Bend, Salem, Corvallis, and nearby communities. Whether your accident involved a Lime scooter, a Lyft scooter, a BIKETOWN e-bike, a personally owned e-bike, or any other electric micromobility device, our team can review your claim and help you pursue compensation.