While rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are convenient for getting around town, they may not be as safe as you’d expect. According to one study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while rideshare vehicles were involved in fewer intoxicated driving collisions, they were involved in other types of collisions at higher rates than the national average.
If you were injured in an Uber or Lyft crash, contact Ted A. Greve & Associates to speak with a rideshare accident lawyer in Gastonia, NC. During your initial consultation, we’ll review the crash that caused your injuries, go over your options for seeking compensation, and explain what to expect from an auto insurance claim involving a rideshare vehicle.
The Role of a Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Our Uber accident lawyers don’t just help you through your case. They handle your case for you from start to finish. When you work with our legal team, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands. All you have to do is focus on recovering from your injuries. Let us handle the rest.
Some of the key services our car accident lawyers provide to rideshare injury victims are:
- Investigating the Accident: Our team will thoroughly investigate the collision to identify the at-fault parties. In some cases, several parties may share liability, and identifying them all is the best way to maximize your financial recovery.
- Gathering Evidence: We’ll gather various forms of evidence to prove the at-fault party’s actions contributed to the crash and demonstrate their liability. This evidence may include accident scene photographs, eyewitness statements, traffic camera footage, expert testimony, and more.
- Calculating Damages: The value of your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses can be significant, depending on the severity of your injuries. Our lawyers will use their experience and work with your doctors to determine a fair price for your losses.
- Negotiating with Insurers: Insurance companies always want to get away with paying as little as possible. Our team understands the tactics they use to devalue claims, and we know how to counter them. We’ll fight for fair compensation during settlement negotiations.
- Seeking Maximum Compensation: If the insurance companies refuse to offer fair settlements, we’re prepared to take your case to trial and seek the maximum compensation.
Legal and Insurance Complexities in Rideshare Accidents
Rideshare accident cases can be more complex than typical car accident cases due to the parties involved. For example, depending on how the collision occurred, several parties could share liability for your injuries, including:
- The rideshare driver
- The rideshare company
- Other motorists
- Vehicle manufacturers
- Vehicle maintenance providers
- Government entities
Additionally, if you were ridesharing with friends or family, multiple victims may seek compensation from a limited pool of money due to insurance policy limits. In North Carolina, drivers only need to carry the following amounts of liability insurance coverage:
- $30,000 per person for bodily injury
- $60,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $25,000 per accident for property damage
Multiple injured parties’ medical bills, lost wages, and other losses can quickly exceed these policy limits, making it crucial to identify and hold additional at-fault parties liable.
It’s also important to keep in mind that North Carolina follows a contributory negligence rule. Under this common law principle, a plaintiff cannot recover compensation if they are partially at fault for the incident that injured them. The insurance company may try to deny your claim by saying you contributed to your injuries. It’s vital that you have a lawyer on your side who can push back against these accusations by presenting robust evidence of another party’s fault.
Steps to Take After a Rideshare Accident
After a rideshare accident, you can strengthen your case for compensation for your injuries by taking the following simple steps:
- Seek Ongoing Treatment: Don’t stop seeking medical treatment until you fully recover or reach maximum medical improvement. By following up with your treatment, you’re not only helping to recover from your injuries. You’re also creating a paper trail of those injuries and demonstrating to the insurance company that you’re taking your health seriously.
- Track Medical Bills: Make sure to keep all medical and other bills related to the rideshare accident. Your lawyer will use these bills when calculating your damages.
- Keep a Pain Journal: Write down everything you remember about the accident and log your daily pain levels in a journal. These journal entries can also detail how your injuries impact your daily life.
- Avoid Speaking to Insurance Adjusters: The at-fault party’s insurance company may contact you for a statement about the incident. Do not speak to them without your lawyer present. The insurance adjuster’s job is to get you to say something they can use to deny or devalue your claim.
- Consult a Lyft Accident Lawyer: Hiring a rideshare accident lawyer is one of the best ways to protect your right to seek maximum compensation. The sooner you speak with a lawyer, the sooner they can begin building a strong case.
Maximizing Your Compensation Claim
Maximizing your compensation claim after a rideshare accident often involves holding the rideshare company at least partially liable for your damages. Both Uber and Lyft provide the same liability coverage to passengers and other victims of accidents caused by their drivers. However, the amount of coverage depends on when the crash occurred.
If the accident occurs while the driver is not using the rideshare app, the rideshare companies don’t provide liability coverage.
However, if the accident occurred while the driver was online and available for a trip, the rideshare companies’ insurance limits are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries and $25,000 per accident for property damage. And if the accident occurred while the driver was en route to pick up a customer or on a trip, the rideshare companies’ policy limits are $1,000,000 in liability coverage for injuries and property damage combined.
Contact Ted A. Greve & Associates Today
If you sustained injuries in an Uber or Lyft accident in Gastonia, NC, contact Ted A. Greve & Associates today. Our rideshare accident lawyers will review your case and help you understand your options for seeking compensation.
