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Scooter accidents are not the only type of electric-powered vehicle accident in Los Angeles. Believe it or not, passenger cars have special problems that place occupants and bystanders at risk throughout the Golden State.
Do You Have a Case?
When you or a loved one suffers harm in an electric vehicle mishap, including an e-scooter accident, you may have a claim against the at-fault party. But in an electric vehicle passenger car accident, there can be more than one person in the electric vehicle. In both cases, there can be more than to go after, including the vehicle manufacturer and even a government agency for failure to maintain roads and sidewalks for safe use by riders and pedestrians walking around. When that happens, you call us because we may be able to help you win damages for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages from your losses.
If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
Blind People Are At Special Risk From Silent Cars
All kinds of new issues like lack of engine noise? I am Los Angeles car accident attorney Michael Ehline. I am an expert in California car accident law surrounding motor vehicle defects, negligent road maintenance, and pedestrian claims.
Below, my car accident lawyer team in Los Angeles and I will tell you everything you must know about electric passenger car crashes, the California Vehicle Code, and how to recover maximum financial compensation if you lost a loved one or suffered injuries. The experienced and winning Ehline Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys, A Professional Law Corporation, have helped thousands like you with injuries ranging from head injuries to whiplash to wrongful death allegations after an auto accident.
Our best personal injury lawyers can assist the victims in fighting insurance companies while they are repairing their lives to continue living with their newfound hindrances and bodily injuries.
Pedestrians and Electric Vehicle Collisions
Electric vehicles are unlike other cars, motorcycles, and trucks. They make little sound compared to other motor vehicles. People are walking, and bicyclists usually have time to get out of the way when a car puts them in danger.
The electric car is minus the explosions that cause fuel engines to work. So they run quietly. Because of this quietude, the oncoming vehicle gives little or no warning to people on the street. A practiced car accident lawyer knows whether walking or bicycling the car might not get noticed in Los Angeles.
While this may relieve the noise and pollution, it creates a more dangerous situation for people, not motor vehicles. Most of all, blind people are at serious risk, as they rely on sound to detect cars in their area.
Car Accident Lawyer Procedure In A Nutshell (Video With Transcript)
- The healthy person sees the electric vehicle’s approach and gets to safety, making eye contact with the driver.
- The other thing that happens they may not see the oncoming car. If the driver gets distracted, the person on foot can get run over. Impacts like this can result in serious harm, death, and property damage.
Of course, it’s not all bad. After all, there are definite advantages to electric vehicles. They save the environment and have long-term savings over that of a fuel-driven vehicle. Also, they help reduce noise pollution. These cars become more popular as gas prices rise and concern for the environment increases.
So it means a more significant risk for adults, children afoot, and bicyclists. Because these cars do not come equipped with a combustion engine that makes noise, it may take some time before people on foot or bicycle become aware of the danger. And the drivers may still be drunk driving or hit a rider in the bike lane despite all their technological advancements.
Driver negligence and road conditions remain a factor but added problems with vehicle brakes, batteries and safety systems unable to recognize EMT lightbar warnings and traffic signals can lead to car accidents too.
Electronic/Electrical Powered Vehicle Safety
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2013, became aware of the lack of noise with slow-speed electric vehicles. The low amount of noise from the cars opened a debate over the concern for pedestrian dangers.
Especially unique is their potential for harm to children, the blind, or partially sighted. The disabled or elderly pedestrian or bicycle rider and anyone with headphones is a sitting duck. Any of these conditions place a person at a higher risk of getting hit by one of these EVs.
The most dangerous vehicle to a blind pedestrian or average bike rider is electric cars due to lack of sound. Most of all, data shows this risk is highest when the vehicle travels at a slow speed. Whether the car is pulling into traffic after a stop at a traffic sign, or signal, the danger is pronounced. People on foot are in grave danger. This risk is also high when exiting or entering parking spaces and driveways, backing up, or slowing down.
Simply put, these vehicles make the least amount of noise. They may not make enough noise for people on the streets to hear. The risk, according to the NHTSA, is double during these maneuvers by electric cars.
Furthermore, the NHTSA estimates the number of annual pedestrian collisions could be decreased or avoided. The total number of crashes yearly is about 3,000, according to the NHTSA.
Of course, this assumes the number of electric vehicles stays the same. The number is unlikely to remain at its current amount. It is estimated by the year 2040, approximately 50 percent of all traffic on the road will be electric or hybrid. The current number is about 0.1% or one vehicle out of one thousand.
Conventional Models
The most common models of electric vehicles in the United States include:
- Chevrolet Spark EV.
- Ford Focus.
- BMW i3.
- Fiat 500e.
- Mercedes-Benz B-Class ED.
- Nissan Leaf.
- Smart ED.
- Tesla Model S.
- Volkswagen e-Golf.
- Owner Related Danger.
Dangerous Batteries
Another danger involves the owner rather than a person walking, bicyclists, or motorists. These vehicles have a lithium-ion battery that powers the cars. While extreme safety measures have been taken, the cells contain hazardous materials. The chemicals have a volatile nature. The chemicals react explosively when exposed to moisture, even from the air or any water.
Battery Heat
Water causes the chemicals to heat up, causing the battery to ignite and burn at over 840 °F degrees. And this ignition places the vehicle owner, passengers, and any other people in danger of severe burns or death. True, it is rare for this kind of battery fire to occur, but it does happen. And the more frequent the electric car becomes on the streets, the more battery fires will occur. Then it will cause injury or death from water, moisture, or crash.
Death by Fire?
The more these vehicles we see on the road, the higher the risk for exploding battery fire injuries or death. It is also not a clear case of a manufacturer defect. But sometimes, several factors cause the battery to ignite rather than an error or poor design.
Failure to obey the speed limit, drunk driving, fleeing the accident scene, road rage, and electric vehicles can all mix to create a serious injury or death. So what do you do to protect yourself and your family members?
Electric Vehicle Lawyer?
If you or a loved one got hurt by the driver of this kind of vehicle, you need a pro. You have the right to be compensated. This settlement includes medical costs, lost wages, and property damages. Also, it comes along with pain and suffering and other disasters.
Here we discussed that when electric car owners or vehicle drivers and passengers collide, owners or others may suffer harm or die. We learned that because of this, a faulty battery could ignite. But also, all vehicle accidents require investigation. But in the rare case of a battery fire, you have to do a detailed initial study of the flames’ origins. Since they are reasonably new cars, they could have manufacturer or design defects. They, too, often need expert negotiation skills to fight for the settlement you should get.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Los Angeles Electric Vehicle Accident Lawyers Today
Contact our law firm to speak with an experienced electric vehicle accident lawyer for a free consultation if you or a loved one were hurt in an accident with serious injuries. You can’t afford to take on an insurance company all by yourself. You need a charismatic, skilled Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to bring your claim swiftly. It would help if you had a personal injury attorney who fights to win deserved financial compensation.
Ehline Law Firm is a highly-esteemed injury law firm. We have helped thousands of clients with over three decades of combined experience. You and your family can put our proven results to work for you too. We will evaluate your claim to determine the best course of action to help you get the compensation you deserve for an at-fault electric-powered car accident in Los Angeles County, CA, by dialing (213) 596-9642.
Citations:
Ehline, M. (2016). The Evolution of the Dangerous Electric Vehicle Fire. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from Concise research of EV and fires.
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