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A common sight in Washington DC in the summer these days is tourists riding rented Segways to see the sights on and around the Mall. In one recent tour group, a tourist from New Zealand fell on her Segway when she went over a small bump. The woman fell and hurt her knee.

In one recent tour group, a tourist from New Zealand fell on her Segway when she went over a small bump. The woman fell and hurt her knee. An ambulance was brought to take her to the hospital. The woman’s husband said later that she had broken her leg. 

The city operations manager for City Segway Tours in Washington stated after the accident that such events are rare. But a personal injury attorney in town said Segway accidents are more common than you think.

In an interview with the Washington Post, the personal injury lawyer stated that operating Segways safely is more difficult than it seems. His law firm recently handed a $6 million personal injury lawsuit for a woman from Illinois who also broke her leg on a tour of Washington DC on a Segway. His client, he claims, received inadequate training on the device, and the company was negligent in having a tour in the rain.

While riders must receive 30 minutes of training at City Segway Tours and wear a helmet, accidents still happen that lead to serious personal injury in some cases.

Critics of Segway tours say that from April 2005 to April 2008, 41 people were reported injured on Segway devices in Washington DC, according to a paper by George Washington University Hospital. Seventy percent of the injured were visiting the DC metro area in the summer tourist season. One in four had to be taken to the hospital for treatment, and a few had traumatic brain injuries. The median cost of their care: $25,733.

Our View

Our personal injury attorneys in Virginia deal with many types of personal injuries, from car accidents to workplace accidents and much more. Segways are very useful devices, but as with any product, they can be dangerous. If the company that owns or manufactures the product is found liable for a customer’s injuries using the device, the person can be entitled to compensation for their personal injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering. 

If you use a Segway on a vacation or tour, we recommend that you take plenty of time to understand how to use the device so you do not have any accidents.

 

One Comment

  1. Gravatar for chappell mcpherson
    chappell mcpherson

    To be fair...

    In 2007, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported in their "Product Related Injury Report" that there were 515,871 injuries related to bicycles and accessories.

    1. Bicyclist Deaths in 2008: 716

    2. Bicyclist Injuries in 2008: 52,000

    3. Alcohol was involved in 37% of bicyclist deaths in 2008.

    4. Bicyclist Head Injuries requiring trips to the E.R.: approximately 150,000 per year

    5. Head injuries account for over 60% of bicycle fatalities.

    Northern California Bicycle Accident Statistics

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