If you’ve been injured in a moped accident in Maui, Hawaii, call the experienced team of Maui injury attorneys at Singleton Schreiber for help. You have rights, especially if your moped accident happened because someone else was careless. Getting compensation from a negligent driver, an insurance company, or a moped manufacturer can be an uphill battle unless you have our Maui moped accident attorneys in your corner.
Singleton Schreiber is a trusted name in personal injury litigation that’s helped accident victims and families across the United States recover more than $3 billion in monetary awards. After your moped accident in Maui, our local Hawaiian litigators are prepared to invest our law firm’s national resources into getting financial justice for you and your family, too.
Contact our Maui law office today to learn more and schedule a free consultation. Our team is always standing by to offer assistance – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Are Moped Legal in Maui?
Yes, mopeds are legal in Maui County, HI.
By law, a moped is defined as a two or three-wheeled vehicle that:
- Carries one person
- Is equipped with an engine of two horsepower or less
- Travels no faster than 30 MPH on a flat level surface.
Helmets are not mandated for adults, but are highly encouraged as a way to mitigate potential injuries in a traffic accident.
Mopeds must be registered with the County, but are not subject to state license or insurance requirements. So, if you are injured in an accident while riding your moped in Maui because someone else is negligent, you reserve the right to pursue that party for damages.
Moped Riders Can Suffer Severe Physical Injuries in Maui Auto Accidents
Since mopeds can’t exceed 30 MPH, many moped riders decide against wearing a helmet. Unfortunately, moped accident victims tend to present with a disproportionate level of head injuries. In Hawaii, moped riders tend to suffer nearly twice as many head injuries as dirt bike users and motorcyclists. Research showed that, of moped users admitted to the hospital after accidents, only 9.5 percent were wearing helmets when they got hurt.
In addition to concussions, brain injuries, and other head injuries, moped riders involved in Maui car accidents tend to suffer from:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and fractures, especially to the tibia, fibula, and femur
- Soft tissue injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Burn injuries
- Road rash
- Crushing injuries
- Leg injuries
- Back injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
Moped accidents are also fatal in Maui and across the Hawaiian islands. According to state crash data, at least 33 motorcyclists, moped users, and motor scooter riders were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2022.
What Causes Most Moped Accidents?
Like other types of traffic accidents, most collisions involving mopeds can be traced back to human error.
Some of the most commonly cited causes of moped accidents include:
- Distracted driving/riding
- Drug and alcohol use
- Speeding
- Fatigue
- Inexperience
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Illegal turns
- Unsafe passing
- Blind spot errors
- Lane splitting
Other contributing factors include dangerous road conditions (such as potholes, uneven pavement, or narrow lanes), road construction, auto defects, and bad weather conditions.
Who’s Legally Responsible For My Moped Accident Injuries?
It depends on how and why your moped accident happened. Typically, you can seek damages from anyone whose negligent or wrongful actions contributed to your moped accident, even indirectly.
This might include a:
- Driver of a passenger vehicle
- Commercial vehicle driver
- Vehicle passenger
- Moped or motorcycle rider
- Pedestrian
- Bicyclist
- Property owner
- Government agency responsible for road design and maintenance
- Transportation service
- Negligent party’s employer
- Moped rental company
You could also have a legitimate claim for damages against the company that designed, manufactured, or sold a defective moped. If a moped defect, such as a faulty electrical system or bad tires, contributed to a moped accident in which you were injured, the company responsible for the product could be on the hook for your damages.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Moped Accident in Maui?
Moped accidents can be catastrophic and have the potential to make swift and permanent changes to your life. Fortunately, you have the right to pursue compensation to help you on your road to recovery if you’re injured because of another party’s negligence.
Through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit, you can ask to be compensated for your economic damages and your non-economic damages, which might include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Property damage
- Chronic pain
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Inconvenience
- PTSD
The more severely you’re injured in the moped accident, the more your legal claim could potentially be worth. However, sharing responsibility for a moped accident can limit your financial recovery. Under Hawaii’s modified comparative negligence doctrine, a plaintiff’s damages can be reduced proportionately to fault up to 50 percent. Once the shared fault exceeds half, the right to demand damages from another at-fault party or third-party insurance company disappears.
Working with an experienced accident attorney in Maui can help to ensure that you not only win your case but also maximize your recovery. Singleton Schreiber has helped Hawaii accident victims recover millions in damages. Discover how our hands-on experience, depth of knowledge of state personal injury law, and vast resources can help to make your moped accident case a success, too.
Call Singleton Schreiber for a Free Consultation With a Maui Moped Accident Attorney
It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the aftermath of a violent moped accident in Maui. That’s where Singleton Schreiber can help. We’re nationally acclaimed, trial-tested Hawaii trial attorneys with decades of experience representing injury victims and families in high-value personal injury disputes. Take the time you need to focus on your recovery and count on our top-rated Maui moped accident lawyers to take on the insurance company and demand a life-changing financial award for you.
You have a limited window in which to seek damages for your moped accident injuries. In Hawaii, the statute of limitations is typically two years. So, it’s important to reach out to our Maui personal injury lawyers for help as soon as you can.
We represent clients on contingency and offer a free consultation, so there’s absolutely no risk to ask for our help after your moped accident. Contact our Maui law office to get started today.
