A South Florida family is filing a lawsuit against a transportation rental company after an accident on one of its motorized scooters left a woman in a coma.
Ashanti Jordan, 28, was riding a Lime scooter back in Dec. 28 in downtown Fort Lauderdale when she was struck by a car.
"It's like I've been living this dream since Dec. 28 and I haven't woke up yet," said her mother, Tracy Jordan.
Ashanti Jordan, a security guard at Broward Health, suffered a fractured skull, a severe brain injury and multiple fractures to her ribs. She was left in a vegetative state.
"It's so traumatizing," Tracy Jordan said. "Every time I see someone on a scooter, it's like, they don't understand the danger behind these scooters."
According to state law, motorized scooters are prohibited on streets, bike lanes or paths. The Jordans' attorney argues that the transportation devices are dangerous and that Lime's app has messages instructing riders to stay off the sidewalks.
"Lime is operating their business in clear violation of the law," said attorney Todd Falzone of the law firm Kelley/Uustal. "As part of the process, the company Lime directs you three different times tells you that you are not to operate your scooter on the sidewalk."
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While there have been some complaints about the safety of the various dockless scooters, city commissioners in Fort Lauderdale voted last week to keep them running, but only on sidewalks.
"The safety of our riders and the community is our highest priority, and we're committed to making our streets safer by working with local governments to support safe infrastructure for scooters and bikes," a Lime spokesperson said in a statement. "Our thoughts remain with Ms. Jordan and her family."
