E-Bike & Electric Scooter Injuries · New Orleans
New Orleans E-Bike & Scooter Accident Lawyer
Convenient and fun — until a rider is hit by a car, thrown by a pothole, or injured by a scooter that malfunctions. Then the legal questions get complicated fast.
E-bikes and electric scooters are everywhere in New Orleans now — Blue Bikes stations, personal e-bikes on the Lafitte Greenway and the lakefront, rented scooters around Uptown and the CBD. But when a rider goes down, the injuries are often serious, and the legal questions are more complicated than an ordinary car wreck. At Bono Law Firm, we've represented injured people across the New Orleans area since 1980. If you've been hurt on an e-bike or scooter, you talk directly with an attorney named Bono — John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono — not a case manager — and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
Some firms are built for volume. Bono Law Firm is built for personal attention.
Why e-bike and scooter cases are different
After a car accident, it's usually clear which insurance applies. After an e-bike or scooter crash, it often isn't — and that confusion is exactly where injured riders lose out. Auto policies often exclude scooters, more than one party may share the blame, and the evidence — scooter GPS data, intersection camera footage — can disappear within weeks.
Who may be liable
Depending on how the crash happened, responsibility may rest with:
- A motorist who failed to yield or struck a rider
- The scooter or bike-share company
- The manufacturer of a defective unit, if faulty brakes, a stuck throttle, or a failed battery caused the crash
- A government entity, where a pothole, missing signage, or poorly maintained road contributed
We investigate each of these so the right party — and the right insurance — is held responsible.
E-bikes, scooters, and Louisiana law
Louisiana sorts electric bicycles into three classes and generally treats compliant e-bikes like regular bicycles for most traffic rules — meaning a rider usually has the same rights and duties on the road as someone on a pedal bike. There are wrinkles: higher-speed e-bikes carry helmet and age requirements, and where you can ride is governed by both state law and local rules. In New Orleans, city ordinances limit where faster personal e-bikes may go and restrict sidewalk riding, and on the Northshore the Tammany Trace allows e-bikes subject to its posted speed limit. These details can matter in a claim, because an insurer may argue a rider was somewhere they shouldn't have been.
Fault matters more than it used to. As of January 1, 2026, Louisiana follows a modified comparative-fault rule with a 51% bar — if you're found 51% or more at fault, you can be barred from recovering at all, and below that your recovery is reduced by your share. Insurers know this and try to pin as much blame on the rider as possible, which makes having a lawyer who pushes back more important than ever. (Crashes before 2026 fall under the old rule, where being partly at fault only reduced recovery.)
Don't wait — deadlines apply
In Louisiana, the deadline to bring an injury claim depends on when the accident happened and the type of claim involved — generally two years for accidents on or after July 1, 2024, though older accidents may fall under the old one-year rule. Don't wait to speak with an attorney. Evidence, witnesses, video footage, and insurance issues all become harder to deal with as time passes — and missing a legal deadline can cost you the claim entirely.
The evidence here disappears fast. Scooter and bike-share GPS data shows exactly where and how fast you were going, and intersection and business cameras often capture the crash — but both can be overwritten within weeks. Getting a lawyer involved quickly is how that proof gets preserved before it's gone.
What to do after an e-bike or scooter crash
- Get medical attention, even if you feel "okay" — head and spine injuries can hide.
- Photograph the scene, the scooter or bike, your injuries, and any hazards.
- Get names and contact information for witnesses.
- Note the scooter or bike ID number and the rental company.
- Don't give a recorded statement to an insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
- Call us for a free consultation.
Why Bono Law Firm
We're a family-owned firm based in Metairie, serving New Orleans, the Westbank, the Northshore, and the surrounding parishes since 1980. We keep our caseload manageable on purpose, so every client gets prompt answers and personal attention — and your legal questions are answered by John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono, not a call center. When an insurance company won't be fair, we're ready to go to trial. There's no fee unless we recover money for you, and we'll come to you at home or in the hospital. You can see the kind of outcomes we fight for in our case results, and more about our approach on the Bono difference.
No fee unless we recover
Hurt on an e-bike or scooter? Let's talk — for free.
Since 1980, Bono Law Firm has represented more than 6,000 injured people across Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, St. Charles, and the surrounding parishes. Consultations are free, home and hospital visits are available, our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and there's no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Free Consultation — Call (504) 835-9909Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
Common questions
E-bike & scooter FAQ
A car hit me while I was on a rented scooter — whose insurance pays?
It depends on the facts, and that's exactly the complication. The at-fault driver's auto policy may apply, but your own auto policy might exclude scooters, the scooter company may share responsibility, and a defective unit could bring in the manufacturer. We investigate each angle so the right insurance is on the hook.
The insurer says I was riding where I shouldn't have been — does that end my claim?
Not necessarily, but it's why local riding rules matter. New Orleans limits where faster e-bikes can go and restricts sidewalk riding, and insurers use that to shift blame — which is more dangerous under Louisiana's 2026 fault rule. We push back on inflated fault arguments with the actual facts of how the crash happened.
I think the scooter malfunctioned — is that a different kind of case?
It can be. Faulty brakes, a stuck throttle, or a failed battery can point to the manufacturer or the scooter company, which is a product and maintenance question on top of the crash itself. The scooter's GPS and maintenance data matter here — and it can disappear quickly, so act fast.
How long do I have to file?
For accidents on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana generally allows two years, though older accidents and certain claims can differ. Because GPS data and video are overwritten within weeks, don't wait — the first call is free.
Hurt on an e-bike or scooter in the New Orleans area? Talk to a firm that knows how to untangle the insurance and preserve the evidence before it's gone.
Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
Serving New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, the Westbank & Gretna, and the Northshore · Se Habla Español
