suffering an injury in a rideshare accident can leave you overwhelmed and uncertain about what comes next. Beyond the physical injuries, the hefty medical expenses and lost productivity can disrupt your finances.
You can seek compensation for your losses if you suffered an injury while using Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service. However, pursuing compensation is not straightforward, as multiple parties may be involved.
Insurance companies may also try to deny or minimize your claim. You should, therefore, work with a legal professional to understand and protect your legal right to compensation.
An experienced rideshare accident lawyer can step in to investigate the crash, gather evidence, and build a strong case on your behalf. With the proper legal support, you can focus on healing while pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Rideshare Accidents Key Takeaway
- Although rideshare accidents can leave victims with injuries and financial losses, you have the right to seek compensation with the help of a rideshare accident attorney.
- After an Uber crash, seeking medical care, filing a police report, notifying insurers, and consulting a rideshare accident attorney protects your legal rights.
- The value of your claim depends on injury severity, recovery time, evidence, and insurance coverage.
- Victims may sue Uber in certain cases, including severe injuries or bad-faith insurance practices.
- Call an rideshare accident lawyer for legal support.
What to Do When Your Uber Gets in an Accident
Although being injured in an Uber accident is overwhelming, your actions can enhance your wellness and protect your legal rights. Here’s what you can do if injured in an Uber accident:
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
You should seek immediate medical care, even if you feel fine initially. Adrenaline and shock can mask serious injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, or soft tissue damage that may not manifest symptoms for hours or days.
A healthcare provider can identify hidden injuries and initiate a timely treatment plan. They will also document the injury and treatment plan, linking your injuries directly to the accident.
Insurance companies and legal proceedings require clear medical evidence establishing causation between the crash and your injuries. Delaying treatment gives insurers grounds to argue that injuries resulted from other causes or weren't severe enough to warrant immediate care.
File a Police Accident Report
You should alert the authorities after sustaining an injury in an Uber crash. When a law enforcement officer arrives, they will document the crash. Here are a few reasons to alter the police after the crash:
- Official Record: Documenting the accident through a police report provides an official incident record. An rideshare accident lawyer can use the police crash report as evidence in any legal proceedings that may arise from the accident. The report from law enforcement can establish liability and protect your rights in the event of a dispute.
- Exchange of Information: Filing a crash report can help ensure that all parties involved in the accident exchange accurate information. By involving the authorities, you can help prevent any misinformation or discrepancies in the details of the accident.
- Protect Your Legal Rights: Filing a police accident report can also be beneficial for insurance purposes. Insurance companies often rely on the findings of the police crash report to verify the claim. The crash report can streamline the insurance claim process and increase the likelihood of receiving fair compensation for your losses.
Inform Your Insurer About the Crash
You should also alert your insurer after sustaining an injury in an Uber accident. Many insurers require their policyholders to make a notification within a specific timeline. Your insurer can pay for the injury-related losses if the at-fault driver holds no insurance or has a low coverage limit.
Most importantly, do not start settlement negotiations or reveal fine details of the crash without the support of a rideshare accident lawyer. Many insurers work hard to minimize their financial liability and can use your statement to downplay your injuries or claim.
A rideshare accident attorney can communicate and negotiate with an insurer on your behalf, so they don’t take advantage of you.
Consult a Rideshare Accident Lawyer
You should also consult a rideshare accident attorney after an Uber crash. Uber accidents are unlike typical car accidents involving two personal auto policies. They may involve multiple insurance layers, including the driver's personal coverage, Uber's commercial policy, and potentially third-party insurers.
An experienced rideshare accident attorney understands these coverage relationships and ensures you pursue compensation from all available sources.
Rideshare companies and their insurers employ teams of legal professionals to minimize payouts. When you face insurers without legal representation, you're at a significant disadvantage when negotiating settlements or determining fault.
A rideshare accident attorney knows how to investigate, gathering evidence like Uber's trip data, driver records, and app activity that you couldn't access independently.
Insurance companies often pressure accident victims into quick settlements before the full extent of their injuries becomes apparent. A rideshare accident lawyer can protect you from accepting inadequate compensation by accurately assessing your current and future losses.
How Much Is My Car Accident Worth
There is no average value you can expect in a rideshare accident. The settlement value or court award depends on the facts and circumstances of your crash. Here are the factors that influence the value of your rideshare accident claim:
Severity of Injury
The severity of injuries sustained in a rideshare accident is the primary determinant of claim value. Catastrophic injuries requiring extensive medical treatment, such as spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injuries, typically result in substantially higher settlements than minor injuries.
Permanent disabilities that affect your ability to work or maintain quality of life command the highest settlements. The higher settlement values cater to hefty treatment plans, lost earnings, and structural adjustments to your home or vehicle.
Minor injuries with quick recovery periods generally yield lower settlements, reflecting reduced medical expenses and minimal impact on daily activities. A rideshare accident lawyer can use medical records to prove the extent of your injury and losses.
Availability of Evidence
Despite your legal right to compensation, you must demonstrate how the negligent actions of the at-fault party contributed to your losses. You, therefore, require strong evidence to prove your losses and support your claim.
The availability of strong evidence influences the value of your claim by establishing clear liability and demonstrating the accident's impact on your life. Comprehensive documentation, including police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and medical records, strengthens your negotiating position with insurance companies.
Cell phone records can prove that a rideshare driver was distracted when the crash occurred. On the other hand, vehicle maintenance records can reveal mechanical failures, and dash cam footage clearly depicts the crash events.
Conversely, limited evidence weakens your case, allowing insurance companies to dispute fault or minimize injury severity.
Shared Fault
Shared fault laws in your jurisdiction directly affect claim value when multiple parties bear responsibility for the accident. If you're partially at fault, such as not wearing a seatbelt or engaging in distracting behavior, the court will reduce your compensation based on your percentage of fault.
In states following shared liability rules, being 20 percent at fault will reduce your settlement by 20 percent. For example, if your injury-related losses were $100,000, you will only receive $80,000 to cover your responsibility for the crash.
Insurance companies aggressively investigate shared fault scenarios to minimize payouts, highlighting the importance of legal representation. An rideshare accident lawyer can use evidence to protect you from being falsely blamed for the crash.
Duration of Recovery Period
An extended recovery period typically correlates with higher claim values due to increased medical expenses and the inability to work during the recovery. Injuries requiring months or years of rehabilitation, multiple surgeries, or ongoing therapy generate substantial medical bills.
Long recovery periods also demonstrate injury severity and life impact, supporting higher pain and suffering awards. However, extended recovery can complicate settlement negotiations, as future medical needs and long-term disability effects may be difficult to predict.
Insurance companies prefer settling cases quickly and may offer higher amounts to avoid uncertain future costs associated with prolonged recovery periods.
Insurance Coverage of the Negligent Party
In many instances, the negligent party's insurer is the source of compensation for the injured victim. Therefore, the available insurance coverage directly caps your potential recovery amount.
At-fault drivers with minimal coverage may lack sufficient insurance to compensate you for serious injuries. Conversely, drivers with substantial coverage or rideshare companies' commercial policies provide larger pools of available compensation.
Your underinsured motorist coverage may provide additional compensation when the at-fault party carries inadequate insurance. Multiple insurance policies may apply in rideshare accidents, including the driver's personal policy, Uber or Lyft's commercial coverage, and third-party policies.
An rideshare accident lawyer can explore alternative sources of compensation, including filing a lawsuit against the negligent party.
Can You Sue Uber for an Accident
You can sue Uber under specific circumstances that violate your rights as an injured victim. While Uber typically provides substantial commercial insurance coverage for accidents involving their drivers, several scenarios may warrant direct legal action against the company.
- Uninsured or Underinsured Drivers present a common reason for suing Uber directly. When an at-fault driver lacks adequate personal insurance and Uber's coverage fails to compensate for your damages, you may pursue additional compensation through legal action against Uber. You can initiate legal action if your losses exceed available insurance limits.
- Severe Injury or Permanent Disability cases frequently require pursuing all available compensation sources, including direct action against Uber. Catastrophic injuries generate substantial medical costs, long-term care needs, and permanent income loss that may exceed standard insurance coverage. You can sue Uber to access its wider financial resources for adequate compensation.
- Insurance Company Bad Faith occurs when Uber or their insurers unreasonably deny valid claims, delay payments, or fail to investigate the crash. Such conduct violates insurance regulations and may warrant punitive damages beyond standard compensation.
- Wrongful Death cases often justify suing Uber to secure maximum compensation for surviving family members. You can initiate a rideshare accident lawsuit against Uber for comprehensive damages covering funeral expenses, lost future earnings, and emotional suffering.
Get the Legal Support You Deserve After a Devastating Crash
You’re likely to experience a worsening quality of life after sustaining an injury in a rideshare crash. For instance, a spinal cord injury can prevent you from playing with your kids or participating in nature walks, your favorite hobby.
You may also experience worsening mental health if the events leading to the crash were traumatic. A rideshare accident attorney will use evidence to negotiate with insurers or litigate the matter for a fair and just settlement.
Call a personl injury attorney for legal support.
Rideshare Accidents Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does a Rideshare Accident Attorney Cost?
Rideshare accident attorneys typically work on contingency fee arrangements, meaning you pay nothing up front and they collect a percentage only if you win your case. Costs vary based on case complexity, attorney experience, geographic location, and whether the case settles or goes to trial.
You can also use an initial free consultation to understand the merits and outlook of your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After an Accident?
The time limit to file an accident claim varies by state, highlighting the need for prompt action. Quick filing helps preserve evidence, witness memories remain fresh, and medical records stay accurate.
Delaying can weaken your case and potentially forfeit your right to compensation. You should consult a lawyer after the crash for support in initiating a timely claim.
What Happens if the Fault Driver Does Not Have Insurance?
In rideshare accidents with uninsured at-fault drivers, you may pursue compensation through the rideshare company's uninsured motorist coverage. Alternatively, you can explore compensation from your insurance policy's uninsured motorist protection, or initiate a lawsuit against the driver.
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft typically provide backup coverage when drivers are actively working.
Is Uber Liable for Its Drivers' Negligence?
Uber's liability for driver negligence depends on the driver's status when the accident occurs. It provides commercial insurance coverage when drivers are logged into the app and are available for rides or actively transporting passengers.
However, Uber generally isn't liable when drivers are offline and using vehicles for personal purposes.