While ridesharing has emerged as one of the most popular ways to reach your destination, passengers are also at risk of getting into accidents. If you have been injured in an Uber accident, you have the legal right to seek financial compensation for your injuries. However, most people do not really know how to go about seeking compensation in such cases.
Technically, there is not much difference between a typical car accident and an accident that involves an Uber driver. All drivers on the road are expected to follow the same set of rules and if they break those rules and hurt someone, they can be held liable and the accident victim has the legal right to seek appropriate financial compensation for their injuries.
If you have been involved in a car accident with an Uber, you need an experienced Atlanta Uber accident attorney by your side to wade through the legal world and get fair compensation for injuries. The experienced team of Atlanta Uber accident attorneys at H Groves Law has helped several accident victims get fair compensation for their injuries resulting from being involved in a ridesharing accident.
Give us a call at (770) 329-1868 today to schedule a free and private consultation. We will help you understand available legal options and make an informed decision on what to do next.
What Are the Most Common Types of Uber and Lyft Accidents?
Uber and Lyft accidents happen in a variety of ways. The passengers riding in the car as well as pedestrians or passengers in other vehicles are at risk of being involved in an Uber accident. Here is a list of some of the most common types of ridesharing accidents:
- Personal injury due to fault of the ridesharing driver
- Property damage caused by a ridesharing driver
- Ridesharing driver getting injured due to own negligence
- Ridesharing driver getting injured due to negligence of another driver
- Ridesharing driver or passenger injury due to a malfunctioning or defective vehicle part
In short, there are several ways in which an auto accident involving an Uber or Lyft may happen. What makes things complicated for accident victims in such cases is that nobody wants to take responsibility as there are a whole lot of reasons leading to ridesharing accidents.
Without the help of experienced Atlanta Uber accident lawyers, it is difficult for accident victims to figure out which insurance company is responsible for paying them compensation for their injuries and how they should go about seeking compensation.
Potential Liable Parties
Just like any other car accident, a number of parties can be found liable for ridesharing accidents. The best way to handle such cases is to use the services of an experienced Atlanta Uber accident lawyer will help you in identifying which parties should be held liable.
The accident could be the result of the negligence of either one party or several parties. Here is a list of some of the entities that may be held liable for such accidents:
The driver of the ridesharing vehicle
If the driver of the ridesharing company has been negligent in his/her duty of care to the passengers, the personal insurance coverage of the driver will come into play. If you have been injured due to the negligence of the ridesharing driver, you should get in touch with an experienced Atlanta accident attorney to know more about recovering damages from the personal insurance carrier of the driver.
Ridesharing companies
In some cases, the ridesharing companies such as Lyft and Uber may also be held liable and the compensation for your injuries may come from these companies. Keep in mind that the ridesharing drivers are not technically employed by these companies as they are labeled as independent contractors. This is why these companies usually do not take any responsibility for accidents involving their drivers. However, your attorney may argue that the company has a shared liability if the driver does not have sufficient personal coverage.
Other parties
Sometimes, accidents involving ridesharing vehicles happen due to the actions of another party. If you have been injured in such an accident, you have the right to seek financial compensation for your injuries. Take the example of an accident that happens due to a lack of proper signage or due to a problem with a vehicle part. In such cases, you should discuss your options with an Uber accident attorney.
What about That $1 Million Uber Insurance Policy for Accidents?
There is a lot of misinformation online regarding the $1 million insurance policy by Uber. It is true that this ridesharing company has a $1 million insurance policy for covering losses involving an Uber driver. However, the scope of this insurance policy is limited.
This policy comes into play only in certain situations. This policy comes into play when there are passengers in the ridesharing car and they are on a paid trip and this insurance policy will pay out only if the personal insurance of the ridesharing driver is not enough to cover the financial compensation. If the accident happens when the driver is on their way to pick up passengers or they are using the car in a personal capacity, this insurance policy is of no use.
This is why you should immediately get in touch with an Atlanta Uber accident lawyer if you are involved in an accident as there are a lot of limitations on this $1 million insurance policy.
Is There A Difference In Ridesharing Accidents And Auto Accidents?
The biggest difference between an Uber accident and a regular car accident is the involvement of the ridesharing company. As discussed earlier, the ridesharing company has a $1 million insurance policy which comes into play in certain situations.
In a regular car accident, the insurance policy of the other driver may not be enough to cover the awarded damages which means the injured party cannot collect the compensation they deserve. On the other hand, this ridesharing company has a $1 million insurance coverage for each of its drivers and this is why an injured party may be able to seek fair compensation for their injuries as compared to a regular car accident case.
What Type of Compensation Can I Seek in an Uber Accident?
Accidents involving ridesharing may result in 2 different types of damage including economic damages, non-economic damages as well as punitive damages.
Economic damages
As the name implies, these are the damages that are tangible and can be reasonably calculated. These typically include medical expenses, emergency room fees, loss of wages, property damage, and other such elements.
Noneconomic damages
These are the elements that are intangible or difficult to quantify. If the victim has suffered intense pain and suffering or the accident has left you incapacitated in some way, your lawyers may seek non-economic damages in addition to economic damages.
Punitive damages
Punitive damages are not provided in all Uber accident cases. However, if the evidence suggests that the accident was due to the malicious intent or grave negligence of the at-fault party, your lawyer may suggest asking for punitive damages.
Should I Just Accept a Settlement Offer?
Most car accident cases are settled out of court as nobody wants to go through the process of a court battle. Whether you should accept a settlement offer or not, largely depends on the other party making a fair settlement offer.
Your Uber accident lawyer will sit down with the insurance companies to discuss the details of the settlement. If the insurance companies honor the proposed settlement amount, there is no need for you to go to court and it would be better to accept the settlement offer. However, it is important for you to discuss in detail all your legal options with your Atlanta Uber accident attorney to make an informed decision.
Are There Time Limits for Filing an Uber Accident Claim?
Yes, there are time limits as per the statute of limitations in Georgia. You have a time period of 2 years. This time limit is 4 years for lawsuits for property damage.
Why Do We Need a Lawyer?
The insurance companies will try their best to outright deny your claim or offer the lowest possible settlement amount. It may not even cover the loss of income, medical expenses and any other expenses you had to bear due to being involved in an Uber accident.
An experienced lawyer will help you with:
Case Preparation
A lot of evidence needs to be collected and presented at the right time to be able to seek fair financial compensation for your injuries. Without the necessary evidence, you may not be offered a fair settlement.
Settlement negotiation
Your lawyer will negotiate with insurance providers on your behalf to help you win maximum financial compensation. They will also explain the benefits or limitations of the settlement offer and help you make an informed decision.
Trial preparation & representation
If the insurance provider does not make a fair settlement offer, you may need to go to trial. The lawyer will prepare all the necessary paperwork and present your side of the story in a court of law to help you get fair compensation for injuries.
Call An Atlanta Uber Accident Lawyer For Help Today!
Uber and Lyft are multibillion-dollar companies and the drivers of these ridesharing companies are involved in thousands of accidents each year. These companies have a huge team of lawyers ready to deny any culpability of the ridesharing company in an accident. If you have been injured in a car accident involving Uber or Lyft, you need an experienced team of attorneys by your side to review your case and handle everything ranging from settlement discussions to trial, if needed.
H Groves Law has helped several Uber accident victims recover fair financial compensation for their injuries in Atlanta. If you have suffered harm in an accident involving a ridesharing vehicle, you should give us a call at (770) 329-1868 to schedule a free and private consultation. Our lawyers will help you understand available legal options and make an informed decision.
