If you suffered an injury in a rideshare accident, hiring an attorney may benefit you in a number of ways. Your lawyer’s principal goal will be to obtain fair compensation for any medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages you experience because of the person who caused the accident. A lawyer’s help extends beyond the results, though.
Your attorney will lay out the roadmap for your case. They will ensure you get the treatment you need. They will help manage stress by handling every detail of your case. A good rideshare accident lawyer is a resource more valuable than numbers can capture, so don’t wait to find an attorney to fight for you.
The Effects of Any Auto Accident Can Be Debilitating
If you’ve been in an accident before, you probably know that “easy” is not an accurate description of the aftermath. Some of the hurdles you might face after any auto accident include:
- The sprint to gather evidence before it becomes unavailable
- Potential bad-faith tactics from insurance companies (who you should never mistake for your advocate)
- The difficulty of managing your time when unexpected injuries and obligations enter your life
- The challenge of determining exactly how much compensation you deserve (your damages may include non-economic losses like pain and suffering, as well as ongoing losses)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another real concern for those who live through the physically jarring, psychologically frightening experience of an accident. This and other accident-related conditions can manifest alarming, distressing symptoms that affect every aspect of your life.
Rideshare Collision Cases: More Complicated Than Most
The moment you feel the jolt and realize you’re in the midst of an accident, you know life has become more complicated. Only after you discover the accident involved a rideshare contractor may you recognize how complicated your case will be.
Some of the distinct challenges of seeking compensation for a rideshare accident can include:
- Determining if a rideshare company is liable for your accident: An investigation will be necessary to determine if Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service has financial liability. An attorney’s resources and ability to identify institutional negligence can be pivotal during this stage.
- Identifying which insurance policies cover your losses: Every motorist must have valid auto insurance. Additionally, companies like Uber and Lyft provide extensive coverage to their contractors, but that coverage is conditional. Simply figuring out which insurance providers should cover the cost of an accident can be a challenge.
- Convincing insurance companies to pay you fairly: Once you know who is liable for your accident, the goal becomes securing the money you deserve. Arguably the most difficult (and important) step in your case, a lawyer’s most critical mission will be to obtain fair compensation for you. This is what you will hire them to do.
- Acquiring evidence from the same parties you’re seeking compensation from: Rideshare companies may have relevant evidence to your case. Those who drive rideshare vehicles may have in-vehicle cameras and footage from such cameras can support your case. Securing evidence from parties on the other side of your case is another challenge you must consider.
These are all puzzles an attorney is well-suited to solve for you. In fact, if you choose an experienced lawyer to lead your case, they may have years of experience overcoming these exact hurdles.
Who Can Bring a Rideshare Accident Case?
If you suffered harm because of a rideshare accident someone else caused, you should hire a lawyer to demand fair compensation for you. Even if you are a motorist who shares the blame for the accident, you can be eligible for compensation.
Some parties a rideshare accident attorney may represent are:
- Motor vehicle drivers (or motorcycle riders) hit by a rideshare driver
- Rideshare drivers hit by other motor vehicle drivers
- Passengers injured while in a rideshare vehicle (whether the rideshare contractor or another motorist causes the collision)
- Pedestrians and bicyclists hit by rideshare vehicles
- Those who lose a loved one in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle
Anyone who faces financial losses, physical injuries, emotional anguish, or other tangible harm because of a rideshare accident should at least speak with a law firm. Proceeding without legal advice can be unnecessarily risky and may lead to you suffering consequences you’d rather avoid (like accepting a lowball settlement).
Who Might a Rideshare Accident Victim Deserve Compensation From?
A lawyer’s most important duty is determining who owes their client compensation. In rideshare accident cases, liable parties may include:
- Insurance providers, who are generally the first line of compensation for victims of auto accidents
- Rideshare drivers, who may be personally liable when they cause an accident (though they often rely on their insurance provider, as most at-fault drivers do)
- A rideshare company, though these companies are often protected by their insurance policies
- Other motorists, who may also have personal financial liability if they cause an accident (especially if they are uninsured)
- Motor vehicle manufacturers, who must generally cover victims’ damages when vehicle defects lead to traffic accidents
- A municipality, who a rideshare accident victim might file a claim against if dangerous road or environmental conditions contributed to the crash
Insurers are most often liable for rideshare accidents. Most rideshare drivers, as do most other motorists, have valid insurance. However, your attorney will weigh all relevant information and tailor your case strategy.
Many factors inform a lawyer’s strategy. The availability of insurance coverage, coverage limits within insurance policies, and willingness of insurance providers to pay an accident victim fairly are among the most relevant considerations.
Most accident victims do not want to worry about fault, liability, or financial negotiations. Rest up and heal while your lawyer manages these and all other case-related concerns.
Is a Rideshare Company Financially Responsible for My Accident?
In many cases, an employer is financially responsible if their employee causes an accident while working. However, rideshare drivers are not generally considered employees but contractors.
For this reason, a rideshare company is not necessarily liable when one of its contractors causes an accident. However, it may be true that:
- You are entitled to compensation through Uber’s or Lyft’s insurance policies, which generally apply when a rideshare driver causes an accident
- If your rideshare accident lawyer can prove that Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare company was negligent in a way that caused your accident, you may be eligible to sue the rideshare service
Consider some examples of negligence that can make a rideshare service responsible for an accident involving their contractor:
- The service hired a motorist with an unacceptable accident record, criminal history, or other red flags
- The vehicle a rideshare contractor was driving was clearly unsafe (which may be a failure to vet the vehicle by the rideshare company)
- Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service received complaints about a driver’s unsafe behavior yet failed to take disciplinary measures
Yes, Uber is a multi-billion-dollar company. Lyft also has significant resources on its side. These companies know how to protect themselves from financial liability but are not bulletproof when they engage in wrongdoing.
Even if you do not ultimately receive compensation from a rideshare company, your lawyer will work hard to ensure you receive the money you deserve.
Attorneys Bring More Than Their Legal Service to Your Case
We will talk about the legal services a rideshare accident lawyer will perform for you. First, let’s examine some of the less heralded benefits an attorney and their firm will bring to your case, which will likely include:
A Gameplan
Many accident victims simply want an answer to an open-ended question: “What do I do now?” Your lawyer will answer that question in the form of a detailed plan for your case.
Advice Throughout the Duration of Your Case
Your lawyer and their team will be available to you throughout your case, which means:
- They will contact you with regular updates about where the case stands
- You can reach the firm (and, generally, your lawyer) when you have questions, want to share your perspective, or want the latest on your case’s status
- You will not be alone after the collision, which should be a reassuring and calming revelation
The best law firms treat clients with the same compassion and attention they would treat a loved one. A good lawyer will also be honest, upfront, and unfiltered in the advice they provide you. This untainted approach will allow you to make the right decisions for your present and future.
Assistance with Your Medical Care and Other Case-Related Appointments
Each law firm has its style of representation. Many firms will extend their assistance beyond the case, helping their client on a human level by:
- Referring the client to medical providers
- Arranging mental health treatment for any client who needs it
- Ensuring the clients’ case-related expenses (including medical bills) are paid while the case is ongoing
- Assisting in any other way that is within a lawyer’s range of appropriate roles
When you hire a rideshare accident attorney, you don’t only get legal services. You get a support system.
Total Management of Case-Related Responsibilities
Many of us regularly think, “I wish I had someone to handle this for me.” When it comes to your rideshare accident case, you don’t have to wish. You can. A lawyer and their support staff will take total control of your case. All you have to do is follow their guidance.
Steps Lawyers Often Take in Rideshare Accident Cases
You should know the duties lawyers typically perform for rideshare accident survivors, which include:
Proving Fault
Traffic accident lawyers are often able to prove who is at fault for a collision by:
- Interviewing witnesses
- Recording their client’s account of the accident
- Acquiring any video of the accident
- Photographing the accident scene (particularly damaged vehicles)
- Hiring experts to analyze evidence
Your lawyer may file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance provider or even sue the at-fault party for their negligence.
Detailing Your Damages
An attorney must tell their client’s story, with the accident being the opening chapter and your damages being a critical plot detail. The proof of your damages must be convincing enough for insurers or other liable parties to pay for those damages.
Attorneys often rely on medical records, medical bills, expert testimony (a mental health professional may be among them), and financial records to prove their client’s damages and case value.
Fighting for a Fair Settlement Offer
Your lawyer will make sure you’re aware of their strategy. Throughout settlement negotiations, they will also update you on how much accident victims secure fair compensation.
Your legal team will:
- Organize all evidence and documentation they’ll use during settlement negotiations
- Present their settlement demands to liable parties
- Inform you when an offer arrives, helping you decide whether to accept or decline the offer
- Explain your options if you do not receive the settlement offer you deserve
Your rideshare accident attorney will be honest about the quality of settlement offers. Your legal team will prepare for court if the best offer is not good enough.
Representing You in Any Lawsuit or Trial
Should you elect to sue one or more parties liable for your rideshare accident, your attorney will handle every aspect of the legal process. It includes any trial your case leads to.
You Deserve Compensation for All Accident-Related Suffering
Rideshare accident victims may face:
- Healthcare costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost earnings
- The cost of vehicle repairs and temporary transportation
- Several other economic and non-economic damages
Rideshare accident victims know the objective. Yours will value and seek compensation for all damages resulting from your collision.
Rideshare Lawyers Remove Any Financial Barriers to Their Service (Find Your Lawyer Today)
Hire a rideshare collision lawyer without paying them from your pocket. Most attorneys only get a fee if they win for their client, with the fee coming as a percentage of the financial recovery.
Anyone can afford a lawyer after an Uber or Lyft accident. Now you know why hiring one can be a favorable decision for you.
