Bird, Lime Class Action Says E-Scooters Endanger Riders, Pedestrians

A recent class action lawsuit accuses several electric scooter companies of “dumping” thousands of scooters onto California streets without regard to public safety and well-being.

According to the class action lawsuit, Lime and Bird, along with other e-scooter companies, have flooded California streets, piers, and other public places with scooters.

These e-scooters are available to rent by the public but allegedly do not come with a helmet. The Lime, Bird scooter class action lawsuit claims that these motorized vehicles endanger the safety and the public as well as act as a public nuisance.

“While acting under the guise of the commendable goals of furthering personal freedom and mobility and protecting the environment, the Defendants, and each of them, are endangering the health, safety and welfare of riders, pedestrians and the general public,” the Bird, Lime electric scooter class action lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs in the Lime e-scooter class action lawsuit have all been injured in some way by the defendants’ scooter products.

One plaintiff says she tripped over three Lime scooters left on a sidewalk, leaving her with a broken wrist and finger and chronic pain in her ribcage.

Several other plaintiffs allegedly sustained injuries when they were struck from behind by scooter riders.

The Bird e-scooter class action lawsuit claims that in one of these situations, a plaintiff’s bicep distal tendon was torn which is an injury that requires surgery to fix.

An additional plaintiff with a degenerative disease was allegedly blocked from parking in a handicap parking space on multiple occasions due to e-scooters blocking the spaces.

The Lime, Bird e-scooter class action lawsuit claims that, by releasing large numbers of scooters into the public, the defendants have negligently endangered the public, caused a public nuisance, and aided assaults.

Plaintiffs seek to represent a variety of subclasses, including the following:

• Bird Rider Subclass: all individuals who were injured or in danger of being injured by Bird scooters while riding on the scooters within the last two years.
• Bird Pedestrian Subclass: all individuals who were injured or in danger of being injured by any individual riding a Bird scooter or leaving a Bird scooter in a public place within the last two years.
• Lime Rider Subclass: all individuals who were injured or in danger of being injured by Lime scooters while riding on the scooters within the last two years.
• Lime Pedestrian Subclass: all individuals who were injured or in danger of being injured by any individual riding a Lime scooter or leaving a Lime scooter in a public place within the last two years.

The Bird, Lime electric scooter class action lawsuit seeks general damages, compensatory damages, incidental damages, consequential damages, special damages, punitive damage, exemplary damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Plaintiffs are represented by Jeffery Lee Costell, Lewis B. Adelson, and Justin Cohanghadosh of Costell & Cornelius Law Corporation; and Daniel McGee and Catherine Lerer of McGee Lerer & Associates.

The Bird, Lime Electric Scooter Class Action Lawsuit is Borgia, et al. v. Bird Rides Inc., et al., Case No. 18STCV01416, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.