How to Heal From Facial Injuries After an E-Scooter Accident in Forest Hills

Studies show that facial injuries are extremely common after e-scooter accidents in Forest Hills. Contact Cohan Law, PLLC for more guidance on how to pursue compensation. Facial trauma cases can have significant settlement value because they often involve scarring, facial fractures, dental trauma, nerve damage, and even the need for future reconstructive surgery. Our Forest Hills personal injury lawyer is committed to fighting for justice for victims of scooter accidents.

E-Scooter Crashes Can Cause Serious Facial Trauma

In 2026, ABC News reported on a new study exploring the number of “micromobility” cases at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. According to this study, the hospital has been experiencing a significant number of these cases over the past few years, encompassing injuries involving e-bikes, e-scooters, mopeds, and similar vehicles.

The study found that of these cases, 26 percent involved injury to the skull or face. 50 percent of all injured patients required surgery after their micromobility injuries, suggesting that this is a common form of treatment for facial trauma. While some might argue that helmets can fix this issue, a normal bike helmet does nothing to protect the facial area.

Although Bellevue is in Manhattan, these risks are just as relevant to Forest Hills riders who travel along Queens Boulevard, Austin Street, Yellowstone Boulevard, Metropolitan Avenue, 71st-Continental Avenue, and routes near Forest Park. Injured riders in Queens may receive emergency or follow-up care at facilities such as NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, Elmhurst Hospital Center, or another hospital equipped to treat serious trauma.

Surgical Intervention Is Common After E-Scooter Facial Fractures

Facial fractures are common after e-scooter accidents. Examples include jaw fractures, nose fractures, cheek fractures, and orbital fractures. A study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that surgical intervention is necessary in over 43 percent of the time in these cases. Surgery may involve plates, screws, jaw stabilization, orbital repair, dental reconstruction, scar revision, or later plastic surgery. These procedures can be expensive, painful, and emotionally difficult, especially when the injury changes the way the victim looks, speaks, eats, breathes, or interacts with others.

Why Facial Injuries Matter Under New York’s Serious Injury Law

Facial trauma is not just a medical issue. It can be the key legal fact that allows an injured e-scooter rider to pursue full compensation after a crash involving a negligent driver. Under New York Insurance Law § 5102(d), a “serious injury” includes a fracture and significant disfigurement. That means facial fractures and visible scarring may satisfy the serious-injury threshold in a motor vehicle accident claim.

It is a major point for Forest Hills e-scooter accident victims. Insurance companies often try to minimize soft-tissue injuries, bruising, or temporary pain. However, a broken jaw, broken nose, fractured cheekbone, orbital fracture, or significant facial scar falls into categories that New York law specifically recognizes as serious. Cohan Law can gather medical records, imaging studies, surgical reports, photographs, plastic-surgery evaluations, and expert opinions to prove the nature and permanence of the injury.

How Scarring and Disfigurement Are Valued

Facial scarring can substantially increase the value of an injury claim because it is visible, personal, and often permanent. The value of the case may depend on the scar’s size, color, thickness, location, texture, visibility, pain, effect on facial movement, and whether it can be improved through future treatment. Scarring on the cheek, forehead, nose, lips, chin, or around the eye may carry greater significance because it is difficult to hide and can affect confidence, social life, and work. Future medical costs also matter. A victim may need plastic surgery, dermatology treatment, laser therapy, scar revision, dental implants, orthodontic work, nerve repair, or additional reconstructive procedures months or years after the crash.

Psychological Harm Should Not Be Ignored

Facial injuries often cause psychological harm that is separate from the physical pain. A person who suffers visible scarring or disfigurement may develop anxiety, depression, embarrassment, sleep problems, social withdrawal, or symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Children, teenagers, and young adults may be especially affected by permanent facial changes.

What About Non-Surgical Options?

Although surgery is common, it may not be necessary in certain cases. For example, a doctor may be able to perform a “closed reduction” to put your facial bones back into alignment. This technique is particularly common in the event of a broken nose. Often, facial trauma involves lacerations and bruising rather than fractures. If this is the case, doctors might focus on cleaning and dressing wounds rather than performing surgery. Although this might not seem as serious as a fracture, an infected facial wound can lead to serious complications. Doctors must carefully remove all of the dirt, asphalt, glass, and other foreign materials before sterilizing the area.

Who May Be Liable for a Forest Hills E-Scooter Accident?

Liability depends on how the crash happened. A negligent driver may be responsible if they hit the rider, opened a door into the rider’s path, failed to yield, turned across the rider, or drove distracted. A property owner may be responsible if a dangerous driveway, sidewalk defect, or parking lot condition caused the crash. A scooter company, maintenance contractor, or product manufacturer may be responsible if faulty brakes, throttle problems, defective tires, or poor maintenance contributed to the injury.

Cohan Law can investigate the crash scene, preserve video footage, obtain police and EMS records, identify insurance coverage, inspect the scooter when available, and determine whether the claim should be brought against a driver, vehicle owner, property owner, scooter company, contractor, or other responsible party.

Key Takeaways

• One hospital in New York found that over a quarter of all e-scooter accident patients suffer facial injuries
• Facial trauma is often quite severe after e-scooter accidents, sometimes requiring surgical intervention
• An experienced e-scooter accident attorney in New York can help you access the compensation to pay for this treatment
• Facial fractures and significant disfigurement are specifically recognized under New York Insurance Law § 5102(d)
• Visible scarring, permanent disfigurement, future plastic surgery, and psychological harm can substantially affect the value of a claim

Can an E-Scooter Accident Attorney in Forest Hills Help Me?

An e-scooter accident attorney in Forest Hills may be able to help you access the medical treatment necessary to heal from facial injuries. Whether you are disfigured or you have several broken bones in your face, compensation could be available. Cohan Law can value the full scope of facial trauma damages, including scarring, disfigurement, plastic surgery, future medical care, lost income, pain and suffering, and emotional harm. Recovering from facial injuries after an e-scooter accident? Contact Cohan Law, PLLC today to receive targeted guidance during a free consultation.

Sources:

 nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ISC/5102

abcnews.com/Health/growing-number-trauma-brain-injuries-linked-bikes-scooters/story?id=132067501

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10638976/