Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are becoming increasingly popular and accessible options for getting from Point A to Point B. Uber alone has nearly four million drivers worldwide and 25% of Americans use a ridesharing service at least once a month.
Ridesharing is a great option for travel. It is better for the environment and getting a ride has never been easier than now with the touch of a button from a smartphone. However, the rise of rideshare services has increased the number of motor vehicle accidents each year. Even more alarming, rideshares have contributed to a 2-3% rise in motor vehicle deaths.
If you have been involved in a rideshare accident, you may be confused about how to proceed with a personal injury claim. Will you file a claim with the company’s insurance or the driver’s? How much is a claim worth if you are injured in a rideshare accident? With luck, you will never have to ask yourself these questions, but if you do, you should consult with a rideshare accident lawyer about your case.
Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, has experience dealing with personal injury cases in rideshare accidents. Ali Awad is the founder and managing attorney of one of the fastest-growing law firms in the United States. He has over one million followers on social media because he has branded himself as a trusted authority offering free legal advice.
The CEO Lawyer has a reputation for winning top settlement amounts for his clients. He isn’t afraid of taking insurance companies to court and he won’t be intimidated by large rideshare companies intent on lowballing your personal injury claim compensation offer.
If you have been injured in a rideshare accident, call the injury and accident attorneys at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm at (833) 254-2923 for a free consultation of your case.
How Can a Rideshare Accident Attorney Help Me?
Personal injury cases involving rideshares can be complicated because the laws that govern these types of accidents are relatively new. A rideshare accident attorney can help you to make sense of the law and develop a winning legal strategy for your case.
To make matters more complex, dealing with insurance companies representing the rideshare company can be stressful and complicated. In a regular motor vehicle accident, you know that the insurance company of the at-fault driver will be responsible for settling your claim. In rideshare accidents, it can get complicated if the driver was at-fault or off duty. Determining who will pay out your claim can become quickly confusing if you are trying to handle your case on your own.
For these reasons, you should call a rideshare accident attorney if you have been injured in an accident involving a rideshare immediately. When the chips are down, you will want a driven and inspired attorney like Ali Awad in your corner. He and the CEO Lawyers team will fight aggressively to find the evidence and legal reasoning needed to give your claim a high chance of success.
A Rideshare Accident Attorney Knows Which Insurance Policy Applies
There is not a blanket policy that covers rideshare drivers. Rideshare drivers are covered by differing amounts of insurance coverage depending upon their status at the time of the accident. You may be dealing with the driver’s personal insurance company, the rideshare’s insurance, or a combination of both. A rideshare accident lawyer can help you understand your rights and the amount of compensation you may be entitled to depending upon the rideshare driver’s status at the time of the accident. The scenarios that may occur are:
- The driver is not accepting passengers, or they are “off the clock.” Rideshare drivers are different from taxi drivers because they get to choose when they are on the clock and accepting passengers. If you are injured in an accident with a rideshare driver who is currently not taking passengers, you will only be able to file a claim against their own personal insurance company. In this scenario, you will proceed with your claim as if you were in a normal car accident.
- The rideshare driver is in-between passengers. If the driver is technically on the clock, but they don’t have a passenger in the car, you or your attorney will pursue a claim against the driver’s personal insurance policy, but the rideshare company’s insurance will also settle a portion of the claim. This scenario is most common when the driver is on their way to pick up a passenger or has just dropped someone off. Typically, the rideshare company’s policy will add $50,000 per person, with a max of $100,000 per accident, in accident liability coverage.
- The rideshare driver has a passenger. If the driver is carrying a passenger, you can file a claim against the rideshare company. This is also true if you are the passenger and were injured in an accident. As a passenger, you will not be held at fault and most rideshare companies provide $1 million dollar policies.
These rules apply to passengers both inside and outside of the rideshare that are involved in the accident. If you are not the passenger, but you were injured in an accident with a rideshare, you likely will not be able to tell what the driver’s status was at the scene of the accident. In this case, you should hire an attorney to sort out the details. Your attorney will likely file a claim against both the driver’s personal insurance as well as the rideshare company in order to ensure that you receive maximum compensation for your injuries and damages to your personal property.
What Should I Do if I am involved in an Accident While in a Rideshare?
If you are in an accident that involves a rideshare driver, meaning you were either a passenger in the rideshare or struck by a rideshare vehicle, there are certain steps you should take. In most cases, a rideshare accident is just like any other accident. The main difference is that you will want to know if the driver was “on the clock” or using the app while they were driving. Rideshare drivers are independent contractors, which means that they are not always covered by the rideshare company’s insurance policy like a taxi driver would be.
The minutes and hours following a car accident can be scary and confusing, but try to follow these steps:
- Call emergency services. This is the most important step in order to ensure that anyone who is injured receives the quickest possible medical treatment. The police will also arrive on the scene to document the details of the accident in order to write the police report.
- See a doctor, even if you think you are not injured. Some injuries do not appear until days after the accident and other minor injuries can worsen over time if not treated. It is always a good idea to see a doctor if you have been involved in a car accident. Keep documentation of your injuries, medical treatments, and medical expenses for your accident claim.
- Get everyone’s contact information. If you are able to, gather all the contact information you are able to from the other driver and any other passengers. If you are unable to do so because of your injury, these details will be gathered by the police.
- Take notes and photos. If you are able to do so safely, take photos of the scene of the accident and write down details of the accident. Try to record what time of day it was, how fast you were traveling, the direction you were traveling, the direction the other driver was traveling, and approximately how fast the other driver was going, how long it took the police to respond to the scene, etc. Since this accident involved a rideshare, try to determine the driver’s status. Were they carrying a passenger? On their way to pick up a passenger? Or off the clock? Try to do this as early as possible while the details are still fresh in your memory.
- Report the accident to your insurance company. Never admit fault and try to avoid recording a statement or submitting a written statement without consulting with a personal injury accident attorney first.
A rideshare accident attorney can help you to sort out the details of your accident and develop a strategy to win back compensation for your losses after an accident. Your attorney will know what steps to take first and handle all of the communication with insurance adjusters.
What Steps Will My Rideshare Accident Attorney Take After an Accident?
Rideshare accidents can be especially difficult to navigate because you may be dealing with multiple insurance companies. Also, the law regarding rideshares is new and still changing to keep up with new technology. If you have been injured, it is important to consult with an experienced rideshare accident attorney in order to make sure that your best interests are being represented.
After you have hired a personal injury attorney, the first steps involve investigating your accident and gathering evidence to support your claim. Your attorney will ask you questions about your accident to help determine the beginning of your legal strategy. They will want to know:
- When did the accident occur?
- Where did the accident occur?
- Were you a passenger in the rideshare accident?
- Were there any injuries in the accident?
- Did you sustain any property damage due to the accident?
- Did the other driver admit fault?
- Was the driver “on duty” as a rideshare independent contractor?
- Was there a police report?
- Were there any witnesses?
The answers to these questions will establish the basic facts of the case and allow your attorney to develop a legal strategy to pursue compensation on your behalf.
Your attorney will then send a demand letter to the relevant insurance companies detailing your accident and outlining your injuries and damages. It is likely in the case of a rideshare accident that your attorney will file a claim with your own insurance, the driver’s insurance, and the rideshare’s insurance company in order to ensure maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.
After the demand letter has been delivered, one of two outcomes is possible. Either the insurance adjuster will accept your offer and close out the settlement, or your attorney and the insurance adjuster will begin negotiating the settlement offer. Most car accident cases are settled out of court, but if not, you need someone on your side that isn’t afraid to go to court.
Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, does not accept lowball offers and is just as successful negotiating on behalf of his clients as he is fighting for them in the courtroom.
The CEO Lawyer is the Rideshare Accident Attorney You Need
Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, is the founder and managing attorney of one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country. In just three short years, the CEO Lawyer turned a small, local firm into a national brand and an eight-figure company. He is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with large insurance companies.
The CEO Lawyer understands the best approach to seeking the compensation you need during these tough times in your life. Filing an injury claim is not something any of us want to go through, but when it happens, you want someone savvy and focused on the numbers on your side. Ali Awad can help you develop a winning legal strategy to recover the compensation you need to restart your life after an accident.
Ali Awad has over a million followers on social media. He has built a solid reputation as a trusted personal injury attorney due to the free legal advice he offers to his followers. If you have been injured in an accident involving a rideshare, you need Ali Awad to represent you in tough negotiations.
The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm is available to discuss your case by contacting us online, or by phone at (833) 254-2923. Call today for a free consultation of your accident and let us help you figure out your next steps.
