Rideshare accidents

Rideshare Accidents – The Bourassa Law Group

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Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are becoming increasingly popular in the US, with 25% of Americans using them at least once monthly.

The distinction between rideshare and a service like a taxi is that rideshare purports to be provided by a private driver using their own (or a rented) car.

Because these ridesharing systems are still in their infancy, many of the regulations governing what occurs in the event of an accident are also new. We want to clarify what occurs and your rights if you are hurt in a ridesharing accident as a passenger.

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What Would Classify as a Rideshare Accident?

Even while being driven someplace might seem like a luxury, not having control over the car you’re in can make you feel anxious.

Driving is challenging enough when you’re the one in control, but when you’re a passenger, you’re placing a lot of confidence in the drivers the company’s platform accepts.

Contrary to popular belief, traffic regulations are breached far more frequently than one might imagine, and either your driver or any other motorist on the road might have been at fault for your collision.

Typical reasons for rideshare collisions include:

• Speeding
• Inexperience
• Ignoring traffic signs
• Drunk driving
• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving

Rideshare drivers are more likely to be in accidents because they frequently go through unknown locations and are preoccupied with their job app while driving.

Once an accident occurs with your rideshare, there’s no time to waste. There are some things that you will need to do.

First, examine yourself, any other passengers, and the driver for injuries because the most crucial thing after an accident is your health. If necessary, dial the police and the ambulance.

Verify that it is safe to get out of the automobile or other vehicle you are traveling in, and then, if possible, ask your driver for the information you want.

Use the appropriate ridesharing app to report your accident and follow the onscreen instructions.

You can enter the time and location of the accident as well as basic information about whether you were in the car using most rideshare Apps.

Getting legal counsel as soon as you have reported your accident is advisable.

Types of Rideshare Accidents

Liability in rideshare accidents is complex, and bringing a personal injury claim without an attorney’s help may be challenging.

Even if a rideshare driver may be at fault, if the driver just has personal vehicle insurance coverage, obtaining damages may be difficult, which is why you need a rideshare accident lawyer by your side throughout the process.

One of three things can happen during a ridesharing accident to cause someone to get hurt:

• As a traveler in a ridesharing vehicle
• As a driver or traveler in a different automobile that was struck by a ridesharing car
• As a ridesharing passenger who has been struck by a rider on foot, a bicycle, or a motorcycle

Why Hire a Rideshare Accident Lawyer?

Because the regulations governing these kinds of incidents are new, personal injury litigation involving rideshares can be challenging. A ridesharing accident lawyer can assist you in understanding the law and creating a strong legal defense for your case.

Dealing with insurance firms representing the ridesharing business may be taxing and difficult, which adds to the situation’s complexity.

In a regular car accident, you know that the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier will handle your claim in a typical motor vehicle collision.

When a rideshare accident occurs, determining whether the driver was at fault or not might be difficult. If you try to manage your case alone, figuring out who will pay your claim can get quickly complicated.

How The Bourassa Law Group Can Help

We’ve been able to develop connections with several medical specialists over time. Like us, they plan for the unexpected. Therefore, they will still consider you even if you lack the means to pay for medical care and treatment.

Then, exactly like with our payment, their payment will be deducted from the final payout you get. You cannot neglect or put off taking care of your health.

There isn’t a general rule that applies to rideshare drivers. Depending on their situation at the time of the accident, rideshare drivers have varying levels of insurance coverage.

You can be dealing with the driver’s personal insurance, the rideshare’s insurance, or a mix of both.

Depending on the rideshare driver’s situation at the time of the accident, our rideshare accident lawyers can assist you in understanding your rights and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.

Steps To Take Immediately After a Rideshare Accident

There are several pieces of proof that you’ll want to get as well. Find out as much as you can about your rideshare driver.

If it’s safe, document the accident site with pictures and write down any pertinent information.

Try to keep track of the time of day, your speed, the direction you were heading, the other driver’s direction and approximate speed, how much time it took the police to get to the site, and other pertinent information.

Find out the status of the driver since rideshare was involved in the collision.

Obtain their name, insurance information, license number, and whether or not anybody else witnessed the collision. Take photographs of the accident as well if you are physically and technologically able to do so. Images of wounds are also a wonderful idea.

After completing all of that, you should be headed into a complete medical assessment. It’s extremely hard to exaggerate how crucial it is to ensure you receive medical attention as soon as possible. 

It happens all too often that persons hurt in various auto accidents believe everything is great and that nothing is wrong with them, only for major, life-altering injuries to manifest later.

It’s crucial to get medical assistance as soon as you can to stop all of that. Whether you are a driver or a passenger, it is true.

Damage You Can Claim from Rideshare Accidents

If you were hurt while riding a rideshare or were hit by a rideshare driver, there might be multiple parties who might be held accountable.

Furthermore, each of these parties will be striving to have their insurance company cover as little of your losses as possible.

When you consider the fact that most ridesharing businesses don’t hire their drivers, things get even more convoluted.

As independent contractors, they may not be able to be sued by you or the rideshare company for a car accident that included one of their drivers. You may still seek damages for your injuries, though.

Rideshare incidents might be particularly challenging to handle since you might have to deal with several insurance providers.

Additionally, the legislation governing ridesharing is recent and is continually evolving to reflect advances in technology.

It is crucial to speak with a knowledgeable rideshare accident lawyer if you have been hurt to ensure your rights are protected.

The initial stages after hiring a personal injury lawyer include looking into your accident and obtaining proof to back up your claim.

To establish the foundation of your legal strategy, your lawyer will enquire about your accident.

What to Do While You Are Recovering from a Rideshare Accident?

There are certain steps you should take if you are in an accident with a rideshare driver, meaning you were either a passenger in the ridesharing or were hit by a rideshare car.

Most of the time, a ridesharing accident is no different from any other accident. The primary distinction is that you’ll want to know if the driver was “on the clock” or utilizing the app when they were behind the wheel.

Due to their status as independent contractors, rideshare drivers may not be protected by the company’s insurance plan, unlike taxi drivers.

Types of Compensation You Can Receive After a Rideshare Accident

The appropriate insurance companies will then get a demand letter from your lawyer documenting your accident, your injuries, and your losses.

To guarantee that you receive the most money possible for your injuries and losses in the event of a rideshare accident, it is probable that your lawyer will submit a claim with all three of your insurance companies: your own, the driver’s, and the rideshare’s.

One of two things may happen when the demand letter is handed up. Your attorney and the insurance adjuster will start discussing the settlement offer, or the insurance adjuster will accept your offer and end the deal.

Most vehicle accident cases are resolved outside of court, but if that is not, our rideshare accident lawyers will be with you every step of the way.

Another way to prove negligence is by breaking a traffic statute. Negligence per se refers to proving that a motorist was negligent just by breaking a rule or legislation designed to avoid an accident.

Generally, proving negligence requires proving that the rideshare driver who caused the accident violated a duty of care.

Driving carelessly, breaking traffic regulations, failing to stop in time to prevent an accident, or doing so while inebriated are all examples of carelessness.

It’s possible for numerous persons to share blame in some auto accidents in states such as Colorado under the term “modified comparative negligence state.”

With modified comparative negligence, the plaintiff may still be entitled to damages even if they contributed to the disaster in some little way.

It is crucial to hire a rideshare accident lawyer mainly because the ridesharing business may work to dispel any allegations that it contributed to an accident involving a Lyft or Uber driver.

However, by choosing a driver who lacks expertise, has a criminal record, or has a history of DUIs, the ridesharing firm may have been responsible for causing the accident.

In order to control rideshare companiess, states approve legislation where rideshare companies must ensure that drivers possess the necessary certifications.

How Much Does a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Cost?

According to the ABA, a car accident lawyer’s contingency fee ranges between 33.3% and 40%.

A greater contingency fee may be charged in cases that go on longer or need mediation, arbitration, or a trial.

The majority of automobile accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis as opposed to the hourly rate offered by other legal companies that take on other sorts of cases.

This implies that you don’t pay the attorney anything until they win money for you in your lawsuit.

In essence, there are no expenses to be concerned about when selecting a car accident attorney. If the attorney succeeds in getting you a settlement, their fee will then be deducted from that sum.

CONTACT US TODAY

To get a free consultation on rideshare accidents today, you can contact us at any of our offices; (303) 331-6186 (Denver), (480) 867-7177 (Scottsdale), (702) 851-2180 (Las Vegas). You can contact us (Toll-Free) at 1-800-870-8910, or better still, reach out to us by filling out our online form, and we will get back to you shortly.