Uber & Lyft Rideshare Accident Injury Lawyers

Rideshare Driver Accident Claims

If you are a driver for Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Uber Eats, GrubHub or another similar app-based delivery service and you have been harmed in an auto accident that was not your fault, you have legal rights. Call a Montlick lawyer today to protect those rights. The following are a few of the types of personal injury cases we handle:

• Accidents Caused By Other Drivers
• Assault and Battery Claims
• Police Chase Accidents
• Rear-end Collisions
• Red Light Runner Accidents
• Rollover Accidents
• Sexual Assaults
• Truck Accidents
• Wrongful Death

Do Pedestrians Injured by an Uber, Lyft or Similar Service Have a Case?

Even those who have been injured by a rideshare driver who were not customers at the time of the incident could still have a claim. If you or a family member have been injured or if you tragically lost a loved one in a pedestrian traffic accident caused by a negligent rideshare driver, you may be able to recover substantial economic compensation. Our national plaintiff’s law firm represents injury victims and families who lost loved ones in the following circumstances:

• Bicycle/Cycling Accidents Caused by Rideshare Drivers
• Hit By an Uber or Lyft Driver While Walking or Running
• Wrongful Death

How Does Rideshare Insurance Work?

Another serious concern with rideshare services is that the companies often do not provide insurance coverage for their drivers. Additionally, private insurance companies can often avoid paying accident injury claims when their policyholder fails to disclose that their private vehicle is being used as a rideshare or delivery service.

While rideshare drivers should purchase the appropriate business auto insurance coverage, most drivers fail to purchase this type of coverage, putting themselves and their passengers at risk. Insurance coverage issues pose severe legal and financial hardships when victims are injured or killed in rideshare accidents, and there is no insurance coverage to pay claims.

If you or a loved one has been harmed in a rideshare accident, our experienced personal injury attorneys can help. We fight hard to get the maximum financial recovery for our rideshare accident clients.

The Complexity of Rideshare Laws

Uber is the largest and fastest growing rideshare company in the country. This rideshare program allows users to download an app and order a driver “on demand.” Rideshare passengers can choose the type of vehicle and review a driver’s rating prior to accepting the ride. Rideshare drivers use their own private vehicles to pick up riders. While ridesharing services provide an alternative to taxicab services and public transportation, they present new legal issues, including workers’ compensation issues, insurance gaps, and low insurance coverage limits. Some passengers involved in accidents while riding in rideshare vehicles may find themselves at risk of not being sufficiently compensated for their injuries and damages.

In one important wrongful death case, an Uber driver struck three pedestrians, tragically killing a six-year-old girl. Uber stated that it was not responsible for the fatal accident since the Uber driver was not transporting a passenger at the time of the collision, even though the driver was using the Uber app at the time of the accident and was waiting to be dispatched to a job. The victim’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming Uber ignored the driver’s prior conviction for reckless driving.

This ridesharing accident case illustrates the troubling legal issues concerning rideshare company liability and insurance coverage issues. Moreover, many rideshare apps terms of service require passengers to agree that they will not file a lawsuit against the rideshare company in the event of a crash during the ride. In another Uber accident, the passenger who sought compensation for medical expenses from Uber discovered that coverage was denied because the rider agreed not to file suit against Uber, and the driver was the sole party responsible.

What to Do After a Rideshare Accident

If you or a loved one have been harmed in an accident or assault that involved a rideshare app or driver, gather evidence at the scene, obtain medical attention, and then contact us for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED^®.

When you or a loved one have been harmed in a traffic collision or assault, it is important to follow these steps. In some circumstances, a victim may not be able to follow these action steps due to their medical condition. The most important action auto accident victims should take is to seek medical attention immediately after an accident to treat and document their injuries.

The following steps may help you protect your valuable and important legal rights:

1. Remain calm. One of the first things you must do after an accident is to remain calm.
2. Check yourself and all of your passengers for injuries. Check yourself and everyone in your vehicle for serious or life-threatening injuries. All injured people should remain in the vehicle until emergency services arrive. A significant number of injuries caused by auto accidents are not immediately noticeable. For example, many accident victims sustain head injuries that leave them feeling that they have a headache. However, a headache could mean there is a more serious injury. A lot of pain is masked due to adrenalin and the initial shock that follows a motor vehicle accident. For this reason, it is a good idea to either ride in an ambulance or ride in a private vehicle (if the injuries are non-life threatening) to the closest emergency room.
3. Call 911. It is important to call 911 as soon as possible. It is necessary to have law enforcement and emergency medical services at the crash scene to assist the injured and for law enforcement officials to open an accident report. If you are a rideshare passenger, it is critical for you to be listed in the accident report.
4. Photograph the scene. Taking as many pictures of the accident scene as possible is crucial, including photos of the skid marks and the surrounding area of the road or intersection. Only take photos when able to do so safely.
5. Exchange contact information with all drivers involved in the crash. Following an accident, you need to obtain the other driver’s name, address, telephone, insurance carrier, and insurance policy number. Collect the contact information from all passengers and witnesses.
6. Find all eyewitnesses. Next, find all eyewitnesses and collect their full names, addresses, telephone numbers, license plate numbers, and email addresses.
7. Never apologize or admit fault for causing the accident. It is crucial that you do not apologize for the accident, as this could be seen as an admission of guilt.
8. Contact Montlick. Call us to discuss your case and to help you collect the necessary evidence.
9. Call your auto insurance company. After an accident, it is required that you contact both your auto accident insurance company and the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This call should be conducted with your attorney present. Provide your auto accident insurance company with the name, address, insurance policy, and telephone number of the other drivers involved.