New York Woman Sues Company for Injuries Suffered on Segway Tour
You have seen them throughout the streets of New York City: tour groups riding around the city on Segways. These devices and tours provide visitors an efficient and interactive way to see a city’s attractions. The Segway tours and devices, however, can also pose a danger, not just to other pedestrians and vehicles on the road, but the riders too.
Segways can reach speeds of up to nearly 13 miles per hour. Riders often only receive a brief training period before heading out on the tour. Many of these riders do not have prior experience operating a Segway. Or other individuals in the tour group may operate their Segways improperly, posing a danger to the other members of the group. In addition, if the device is not maintained properly, a Segway may malfunction and cause injuries to the rider.
All of these factors contribute to a situation that can make it dangerous for a rider to operate a Segway. A recent Segway accident in D.C. provides an example of the dangers posed by these machines.
Woman Suffered Injuries on D.C. Segway Tour
A New York Woman on a trip to the nation’s capital suffered injuries while on the Segway sightseeing trip around the District of Columbia. The woman fell from her Segway after the machine went “rogue.” According to the woman, her Segway randomly went rogue, reversing out of control. Then, the handle fell forward and “quickly whipped around, like a propeller.”
The machine apparently knocked the woman to the ground. The woman shattered her elbow, and she spent three days in the hospital after the accident. The accident left the woman with a foot-long scar and hefty medical bills.
Now, the woman has filed a lawsuit against the company that operated the Segway tour. She claims that while the company showed her a safety video, “it did not address the fact that this machine, or these machines, can randomly just go rogue.” The woman said that she would have avoided the tour if she knew the dangers and risks posed by Segways.
According to the woman’s lawsuit, the company knew—or should have known—of the dangers posed by Segways because of a prior recall involving Segways that cause them to unexpectedly reverse, which causes drivers to fall. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission currently identifies six injuries related to “rogue” Segways. The woman is suing the company for more than $5 million.
Contact a Brooklyn Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has recently been injured, a Brooklyn personal injury attorney can help protect your rights. If the injury resulted from someone else’s negligent or reckless conduct, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
From slip-and-fall accidents to auto accidents, the Law Offices of Peters, Berger, Koshel & Goldberg P.C. have experience in handling a variety of personal injury claims. Contact a Brooklyn personal injury lawyer today for a consultation at 1-800-836-7801 or 718-596-7800.