Rideshare applications such as Lyft and Uber are a great way to move around when you are having trouble with your car, going to work, or just hopping from one area to another with your friends. Others use the app to avoid driving under the influence, causing accidents, or being ticketed. But even so, accidents do happen in Ubers, and their riders may be injured by the negligence of the uber driver of someone else on the road.
If you were injured in an accident involving Uber, the compensation you are entitled to won’t be handed to you quickly and easily. You must fight for it. No matter how straightforward liability is, Uber and insurance companies tend to deny deserving victims the opportunity to fully recover compensation for damages suffered. Therefore, a qualified Galveston Uber/Lyft accident lawyer ought to be your to-go-to person when filing a claim for compensation.
Unlike a normal car accident, crashes involving Uber are more complex. State and federal laws regarding the operations of Uber make it difficult and stressful for average victims to find justice. The lack of necessary legal knowledge to understand these laws makes it difficult for most deserving victims to pursue their rightful compensation. Unfortunately, the average person is no match to the well-resourced legal teams representing Uber and insurance companies. So to level the playing field, you should retain an experienced car accident lawyer.
Although most people view ridesharing with Uber or Lyft as the safest mode of transport compared to normal public commercial vehicles, statistics from the University of Chicago indicate that these accidents too can be fatal. Before Uber’s expansion in 2010, there were around 32,885 fatalities in the United States. But years later, the numbers have increased by 2-3% inclusive of crashes involving the ridesharing app. When these types of ridesharing accidents happen, it is important to speak with a skilled lawyer about taking legal action.
To protect the rights of passengers who use Uber, the ridesharing service provider has an insurance policy in place. When the Uber application is active, and the driver is waiting for a passenger or is already in transit, Uber’s insurance policy covers the passenger and third parties. However, the policy has limits on the amount payable as compensation. They are often $1,000,000 for bodily injury per person
The amount of compensation you receive through Uber’s insurance policy could be anything up to one million dollars ($1,000,000), depending on the insurance Uber drivers carry. This amount will be determined by the damages in your case. A dedicated attorney could help you fight for the maximum amount of compensation in your Uber or Lyft accident claim.
The first shot at receiving compensation for your damages is through negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company. Very often, an insurance adjuster initiates the process by offering an initial settlement. But sadly, this is never a true reflection of the amount you deserve. Therefore, accepting the offer is an outright denial of your rightful compensation.
Through negotiations, your Galveston lawyer will ensure that your rideshare collision case is treated with the seriousness it deserves. With our aggressive attorneys, the insurance company will be forced to come to the negotiating table. And if negotiations fail to bring the intended results, that’s not the end for you. We can still take your case to litigation, where through a trial, a judge or jury will listen to legal arguments from both sides and make a determination.
In most cases, the court process is long, cumbersome, confusing, and expensive. Many do not have the advantage of time, more so if you have suffered serious injuries. A lawyer can step in to do all that’s required to get your case rolling.
Like any other passengers, persons who use Uber as their preferred mode of transport are entitled to certain protections within the Uber system. They include:
If any of these protections are violated by the Uber driver or company, you reserve the right to decline their services. And if the Uber driver’s negligence exposed you to the risk of harm, you have a right to hold them accountable for your damages with the help of an attorney.
Uber accident cases are not new to Lone Star Injury Attorneys. If you have been injured in an accident involving Uber, or you were a passenger, you should speak to our Galveston Uber/Lyft accident lawyers immediately. You will be advised on the insurance coverage that applies to your case. But most importantly, our attorneys will help you file a claim for compensation against the appropriate parties. We don’t charge you any attorneys fees unless we make a recovery, so we cannot collect until we guarantee you money first. Reach out to our online representative or call us today to schedule a free consultation.