Scooter Accidents

Michigan Scooter Accident Claims

Electric scooters and motorized scooters have transformed urban transportation across Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and other Michigan cities — but they've also created a new category of serious personal injury cases. Riders on rented e-scooters and personal motorized scooters face the same road hazards as cyclists but with far less protection, and Michigan's insurance and liability framework treats scooter accidents differently than standard auto crashes. Koussan Law represents scooter accident victims across Michigan and fights to get them the compensation that reflects the real severity of their injuries.

Michigan No-Fault and Scooter Accidents

One of the most critical questions in any Michigan scooter accident is whether no-fault PIP benefits apply. Under MCL § 500.3101 and the Michigan No-Fault Act, PIP coverage is mandatory for "motor vehicles" — but electric scooters often fall outside that definition depending on their speed, power output, and where the accident occurred. If a scooter is classified as a "low-speed electric device" rather than a motor vehicle, the rider may not have access to PIP benefits at all. However, when a scooter rider is struck by a motor vehicle, PIP benefits become available through the vehicle's insurer or the rider's own auto policy under the priority rules of MCL § 500.3114 and MCL § 500.3115. These coverage questions often determine whether a client has access to $50,000, $250,000, $500,000, or unlimited lifetime medical benefits depending on their policy tier under the 2019 no-fault reform.

Third-Party Liability Claims

Beyond PIP, scooter accident victims can pursue third-party negligence claims against the drivers, property owners, or government entities responsible for their injuries. Under Michigan's modified comparative fault system in MCL § 600.2959, you can recover damages as long as you were not more than 50% at fault for the accident. For motor vehicle threshold cases, MCL § 500.3135 requires proof of "serious impairment of body function" or permanent serious disfigurement to pursue pain-and-suffering damages against the at-fault driver. Common defendant categories in scooter cases include distracted or turning motorists who fail to yield, rental scooter companies whose fleet has defective brakes or throttle issues, property owners with dangerous sidewalk conditions under MCL § 600.2949a, and municipalities with pothole-riddled roads or missing bike lane protections.

Government Liability for Road Defects

Potholes, crumbling pavement, missing storm grate covers, and uneven road surfaces are especially dangerous for scooter riders. When a road defect on a public road causes a scooter accident, the government entity responsible for maintaining that road can be held liable under the highway exception to governmental immunity, MCL § 691.1402. But the clock is tight: you must provide written notice to the government entity within 120 days of the incident under MCL § 691.1404. Missing that deadline almost certainly kills the claim. Detroit, in particular, has roads that routinely cause scooter accidents, and we know how to file against the City and Wayne County road commission within the required timelines.

Common Scooter Accident Injuries

Scooter riders have virtually zero protection in a crash. No seatbelt, no airbag, no steel frame. The injuries we see reflect that vulnerability: traumatic brain injuries (many riders don't wear helmets), facial fractures, broken wrists and collarbones from impact with pavement, road rash requiring skin grafts, spinal injuries, and knee/ankle fractures. The three-year statute of limitations under MCL § 600.5805(2) applies to most scooter accident claims, but the 120-day government notice deadline is the real danger zone for road-defect cases.

If you were injured in a scooter accident anywhere in Michigan, call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free consultation. You can also use our free case calculator to estimate what your scooter accident claim may be worth.