A rideshare accident is different from a traditional motor vehicle accident because of the additional involvement of a corporate entity. Instead of dealing with one driver and their insurance, the victim of a rideshare accident is facing the whole company and their insurer when seeking a settlement.
Appointing an attorney can help you understand your legal rights and the types of compensation you may be eligible to claim. More importantly, they can advocate for you and go toe-to-toe with rideshare companies, who may wish to avoid accepting liability.
The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm has a proven history of helping clients like you stand up against the financial interests of rideshare companies, raising their chances of receiving a settlement for all damages suffered. The first step in representing your case is a free, no-obligation consultation, where we can assess the details of your accident, map out a course of action, and offer you the chance to ask any pressing questions.
Our team is standing by to help you get started: call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online to schedule your free case review today.
Work With a Lawrenceville Rideshare Attorney After an Accident
Services from companies like Uber and Lyft have been on the rise over the last decade, offering a modern and convenient way to get around town. While taxi services are still popular in big, urban cities like New York and Miami, rideshare companies are giving people another option in smaller cities like Lawrenceville.
Ridesharing allows passengers to request a car and have choices about what they’ll ride in. This new generation of ride-hailing may solve certain convenience issues for passengers, but there’s no less risk.
The University of Chicago recently conducted a study analyzing the relationship between the increase in ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft and the increase in deaths on the road, finding that the rise of these apps has led to a 3% increase in fatalities. This study also revealed some troubling statistics about rideshare accidents, noting that in the 97 fatal Uber crashes between 2017 and 2018, 21% of those fatalities were passengers.
Uber and Lyft both offer education to their drivers about the process of an accident and offer commercial liability insurance to protect the driver in these unfortunate instances. The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm is concerned with protecting passengers as they recover from such a physically and emotionally trying experience.
When you order a ride from a rideshare company, you’re never expecting an accident to come next. The process of a personal injury claim is uncharted territory for most people, and big insurance companies can make it overwhelming to walk through. When you have a professional by your side acting as an ally, each step can feel easier.
A rideshare attorney, like the CEO Lawyer, can take the following tasks off your hands so you can spend your time on the healing journey and in the company of loved ones:
- Managing communication with all outside parties: Throughout the course of any personal injury claim, communication is key to keeping the steps of the legal process moving forward at a satisfactory pace. After an accident, the last thing the victim needs is to relive the experience with countess statements. Your attorney will speak on your behalf to all outside parties and then relay the important information back to you in a separate meeting.
- Helping you understand the laws, regulations, and best practices around your case: Different states have different laws and regulations about insurance minimums and other specifics. Your lawyer will walk you through what applies to your state and how the rideshare company’s commercial insurance will affect your claim.
- Investigating your accident, including a thorough evaluation of claims of negligence: Every accident will look different, so finding the small factors that affect your unique situation is a critical step. The CEO Lawyer will deep-dive into the information revolving around your accident, looking for details and other points of evidence that can be critical to your claim’s success.
- Negotiating on your behalf: Negotiating a settlement figure is a complex process that involves research, evidence, and experience to confidently present. Your attorney will act on your behalf, putting together a comprehensive settlement figure and fighting for its value with the insurance company.
- Filing a lawsuit or taking your case to trial: In the event that an amicable settlement can’t be reached out-of-court, your attorney may be willing to file a civil complaint (lawsuit) on your behalf and even take your case to court. Our sole goal is to use every option available to increase your chances of a successful injury claim.
A Rideshare Accident Attorney Understands How Different Situations Affect Insurance Coverage
Overall, crashes and traffic accidents have decreased, but fatalities are still increasing. An accident can happen anywhere, anytime.
Unfortunately, rideshare companies will only tap into their commercial insurance benefits for victims enduring a specific type of accident. Depending on the type of accident, you may be dealing with the driver’s personal insurance — or even your own.
A rideshare accident attorney can help you understand how the specific details regarding your accident affect the types of insurance policies with which you will need to file a claim.
The driving status of the rideshare motorist will make a significant difference in the process of your claim:
- The rideshare driver is off-the-clock and not accepting passengers: A rideshare driver is different from a taxi driver in many ways, one of which is that many rideshare drivers use their personal vehicles to work. This means that a rideshare driver may be using their working vehicle while not on the clock. When this is the case, a victim can only file a claim with the driver’s personal insurance company. These types of car accidents are treated exactly like normal collisions.
- The rideshare driver is on the clock but in between passengers: In an accident where the driver is technically on the clock but not currently transporting a patient, both personal and commercial insurance may be involved. For example, if you are hit by a distracted rideshare driver looking for a new passenger, the rideshare company’s insurance policy will typically add $50,000 per person with a max of $100,000 per accident in liability coverage. Your attorney will assess your medical bills, lost wages, and any other damages you have incurred during the course of the accident to determine how personal coverage can add to the commercial benefits.
- The rideshare driver has a passenger in their car: If the driver is currently carrying a passenger at the time of the accident, you can file a claim against the rideshare company. Whether you were a pedestrian, in another vehicle, or were the rideshare passenger, an at-fault rideshare driver’s commercial insurance policy will be responsible for the damages you incurred. Generally speaking, most rideshare companies offer $1 million dollar policies for injured victims.
What to Do After a Rideshare Accident?
As the victim of a rideshare accident, the looming legal process can feel unnerving to face.
Many of the steps of a claim can be managed by your attorney, but it is essential that you protect your own claim from the early stages.
Before you even meet with an attorney, there are some ways that you can document your story and concretely answer common questions surrounding the events of the collision. Remember to keep a thorough account of every step you go through because oftentimes, it is small details that are most valuable to a case’s success.
The following steps can help a victim proactively protect their claim after an accident:
- Seek Medical Attention
- Contact the Police
- Get the Contact Information of Everyone Involved
- Document the Details of the Accident
- Commit to Follow-Up Care
These steps can help an attorney sort out important questions relating to your case, such as:
- What were the injuries?
- Did you sustain property damage?
- Did the driver admit fault?
- Is there a police report?
- What is your doctor’s assessment for the future?
Injured In a Rideshare Accident? Contact a Lawrenceville Rideshare Law Firm
Rideshare services are supposed to be a quick and convenient way to get around town when you are in a pinch, but an accident can strike anywhere and anytime. If you have been injured in a recent rideshare accident, the steps that follow can feel overwhelming to manage on your own.
Ali Awad, the managing attorney for The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, has spent the last few years turning a local firm into a fast-growing national brand. The CEO Lawyer is not intimidated by standing up to large insurance companies, especially when protecting the interests of a client.
The CEO Lawyer personal injury team is dedicated to the best interest and long-term health of our clients. We’ll offer our knowledge, experience, and resources to help you restart your life after this experience.
To get your next chapter rolling, The CEO Lawyer is here to manage your financial recovery. Call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online today to schedule your free initial case review with an experienced Lawrenceville rideshare attorney.
