With the rise of rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft, it is inevitable that rideshare vehicles will be involved in collisions. If you’ve been hurt in a rideshare collision, where do you go to know what your rights are, what your legal remedies are? Whether you were a passenger or the driver of another vehicle, you have questions. The Moreno Valley personal injury lawyers of OnderLaw can help with these answers.

When you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident that wasn’t your fault, you’ll have medical bills from getting treatment for your injuries, and maybe you have lost time from work, too. You need money, and you’re probably not sure where it’s going to come from. At OnderLaw, we can help you figure all that out. When you hire us, we will investigate the accident to determine who was at fault, prepare a thorough claim or lawsuit that shows you deserve compensation, and negotiate with the insurance company or put on a lawsuit to get the money you need.

Don’t wait, and don’t go through this alone. Call us today. The initial consultation is free.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

You need a lawyer to answer the questions you have about the rideshare collision you were in. Your lawyer can tell you your rights and your legal remedies. OnderLaw has attorneys who can answer your questions. We have represented clients like you in claims and lawsuits against insurance companies and defense attorneys, people who are intent on limiting their client’s liability. They want to keep you from getting the compensation you should receive, or at least limit the amount you receive.

OnderLaw can cut through their tactics. We know how to handle insurance companies and defense counsel, and we will protect your rights throughout the length of your claim or lawsuit. We will fight hard to get you a settlement or court decision you will be satisfied with.

Types of Rideshare Accidents

Rideshare accidents are much like other types of vehicle collisions in many respects. You may find yourself involved in these or other types of accidents:

  • Head-on collisions
  • Rear-end collisions
  • T-bone accidents
  • Sideswipe accidents
  • Left-turn accidents
  • Multiple-vehicle accidents

But another equally important consideration is where you were in relation to the rideshare vehicle at the time of the accident. You could have been:

  • A rideshare passenger
  • The driver or occupant of another vehicle involved in the crash
  • A pedestrian

Common Injuries Suffered in Rideshare Accidents

The injuries in a rideshare collision are similar to injuries that occur in a typical vehicle collision. Victims may suffer any of the following:

  • Paralysis
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Broken bones
  • Concussion
  • Lacerations
  • Internal injuries
  • Sprains/strains
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Amputation
  • Facial/dental fractures
  • Torn ligaments
  • Coma
  • Death

What Compensation Is Available?

Being in a rideshare crash is different than if you are involved in a collision with a taxi or limousine. The rideshare driver typically is driving their own vehicle. Most do not have a commercial license. They’re just regular people with no additional training.

Rideshare companies provide commercial insurance for the driver that takes effect from the moment the driver accepts a fare until the driver drops off the rider. Commercial insurance will have a higher amount of payoff than is found in an individual insurance policy. Commercial insurance is typically capped at $1 million.

For example, using Lyft’s insurance information as a guide:

If the driver is signed off from the rideshare app, their own insurance coverage applies.

If the driver is signed onto the app and is waiting for a fare, Lyft provides these coverages: $50,000 for bodily injury per person, up to $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 per accident for property damage.

When the app is turned on, and the driver is either picking up a passenger or is actively taking a passenger to their destination, their coverage is $1,000,000, with contingent comprehensive and collision up to the cash value of the car. They also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

That those are the policy’s limits does not mean you’ll get a million dollars after a rideshare accident. As with any other type of accident, you must prove that someone else caused the accident, that you were injured in the accident, and that the accident and your injuries caused you to have losses.

If you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle and the collision was the other car’s fault, you can get compensation for your losses, or damages, from the other driver. If you were the other driver who was hit by a rideshare driver or if you were a passenger in a crash where the rideshare driver was at fault, you can receive damages from the rideshare driver or the company.

Damages are classified as either economic or noneconomic. Economic damages are costs that have a specific dollar amount attached, such as medical bills, vehicle repairs, or prescriptions. Nonecomonic damages are more intangible losses. This type of loss includes pain and suffering, disfigurement, or loss of quality of life.

Following are some of the damages you may be eligible to receive as a result of your injuries in the collision:

  • Medical expenses. This includes emergency transportation, hospitalization, doctors’ visits, diagnostic testing, prescriptions, physical therapy, rehabilitation, pain management, and more.
  • Lost wages. If treating your injuries required that you take time off work, you may have lost wages. Your lost wages may be included in your compensation. If your injuries were so severe that you could not return to your usual line of work, you may be eligible to recoup your future lost wages.
  • Pain and suffering. Enduring pain is mentally taxing. If the accident was particularly traumatic for you, you may develop additional mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Compensation may be available for the mental and emotional wear and tear that come with an accident.
  • Property damage. Any property (laptop, watch, cellphone) that you had on you at the time of the collision, if it was damaged in the collision, can be replaced or repaired. These costs may be included in your compensation.
  • Disfigurement. If the accident left you with visible scars or scars that impede your ability to move your body in the same way as before the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for that loss.
  • Loss of quality of life. If the accident injured you in such a way that you are no longer able to participate in activities that brought you joy pre-accident, you may be eligible for compensation for those losses.

What to Do After a Rideshare Accident

When you are involved in a collision with a rideshare vehicle, there are steps you need to take.

  • Call the police. The police will investigate what happened. They will write a report and make a determination about who caused the collision. Their report can be used to help seek damages from the person at fault.
  • Seek medical attention. Seek medical attention as quickly after a collision as possible, even if you don’t feel injured. Some injuries may not immediately manifest themselves and can only be diagnosed by a professional. The doctor will also write up a medical report which can be useful for you in seeking damages and compensation for injuries.
  • Take photos of the accident scene. The memory may not always be as reliable as we might hope. Photographs will make an objective record of the events surrounding the collision. It is possible that one or more of the drivers may have a recording from a dash camera. Take pictures of your vehicle, the other vehicle, the scene, capture the weather, take pictures of your injuries if you’re able, and photograph anything else that may be relevant.
  • Gather contact information. Get the contact information from the other people at the scene, but do not talk to them about the accident. Allow the police to do that. If a person volunteers information that it was their fault, make a note of that and share it with your attorney.
  • Call a lawyer. OnderLaw should be one of your first calls so they can immediately begin to protect your rights.

Why Choose OnderLaw?

Since 2002, OnderLaw has been representing people like you in rideshare and other collisions. We know the law, and we know how the system works. Insurance companies and defense attorneys do not have your best interests at heart. We know that insurance companies and defense attorneys will try to avoid responsibility for their client. We won’t let them get away with it. We will fight for you.

One of the values of our practice is that we treat our clients like family. We will listen to your story, and we will make sure you are up to date on what is happening with your case and any negotiations that are taking place. We will always be on your side. We will use the strategies and know-how that have gotten $4 billion in settlements for our clients so far to get the best possible outcome in your case, too.

Call Today to Get the Help You Need

OnderLaw is dedicated to bringing you the best professional legal advice you can receive. We want to hear from you so we can begin the process of getting you the compensation you’re owed for your injuries. Call us or contact us online for your first meeting with us. The first consultation is free. Call now.