Lochearn, MD Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyer

Uber, Lyft, and similar services are used by countless people every day. These services have become indispensable to many who rely on them to get to work, go into town for a night out, and do various other activities. Sadly, Uber and Lyft drivers get into motor vehicle collisions just like everyone else, and passengers of Uber or Lyft drivers are not more protected from injuries than any other drivers. Moreover, nothing prevents a different negligent driver from crashing into your rideshare vehicle, even if your driver is doing everything they are supposed to.

All of this can feel frustrating and unfair if you wound up on the receiving end of a crash involving an Uber or Lyft driver, but we can help. We have represented countless plaintiffs in personal injury cases, so let us put our experience and determination to work for you, fighting for justice and financial compensation.

Rice, Murtha & Psoras has Uber/Lyft accident attorneys that can help you when you dial (410) 694-7291.

Insurance in Uber/Lyft Accidents in Lochearn, MD

When people are injured in car accidents, the first thing that probably goes through their minds in terms of getting compensation is filing a lawsuit against whoever wronged them. Indeed, many car accident claims do make it to court. However, there are other options you may want to look into prior to filing a lawsuit – although it is never a bad idea to prepare for one with the help of our Uber/Lyft accident lawyers, just in case.

Maryland is an “at-fault” state when it comes to car accidents, which means that the insurance of the party who is at fault for the crash covers the costs for victims. Before filing a lawsuit, you should see if you can have our attorneys talk to insurance companies and work things out amicably. Knowing what insurance policy is supposed to provide coverage in your situation is crucial to getting the compensation you need.

Regular Auto Insurance

The ordinary driver’s insurance policies that everyone needs to have on cars by law do not cover accidents caused by Uber/Lyft drivers when they are on the job. However, if another motorist struck an Uber/ Lyft vehicle while you were a passenger, they would be responsible for the accident, so their insurance policy would be the correct one to compel to provide coverage for your injuries.

Rideshare Insurance and Commercial Driver’s Insurance

If an Uber/Lyft driver is to blame for your injuries, you need to go after either their rideshare insurance policy or their commercial driver’s insurance policy. These are special policies that specifically cater to the needs of people who use their personal vehicles for commercial use. Rideshare insurance is the newer of the two and is specifically for motorists who use their vehicles for services like Uber or Lyft.

Commercial driver’s insurance, by contrast, covers all kinds of commercially used vehicles. For example, a pizza delivery vehicle will likely have commercial driver’s insurance.

For our purposes, these policies are more or less the same in that they provide coverage when commercial vehicle drivers are at fault for accidents, so you should let our lawyers worry about the particulars while you focus on other things, like recovering from your injuries.

Contingent Collision Coverage

Large rideshare companies like Uber or Lyft will have what is called contingent collision covering in the event that a driver’s rideshare insurance or commercial driver’s insurance policy is lacking or if the driver does not have one of those policies. The amount of coverage this provides depends on the circumstances of your crash. If you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle or were queued up as one when the accident took place, the coverage provided is up to $1 million. However, if an Uber or Lyft driver caused an accident while they were “on the clock,” but there was no active ride or passenger waiting to get picked up, the amount of coverage provided is only $50,000.

Sue if You Need To

If insurance companies are not willing to “play ball,” you should proceed to file a lawsuit in court. Sometimes, the threat of a lawsuit can get insurance companies to change their tune and stop doing anything obstructionist.

However, you need to remember how long you have to file your claim. Under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, you have three years from when you get injured to file your claim. Once that time is up, courts cannot hear your case and you cannot get damages, so be sure that you decide to file a claim within that statutory period.

What Damages Can I Get in Uber/ Lyft Accident Lawsuits in Lochearn, MD?

If you take your case to court, you can get damages awarded to you if you successfully prove that the defendant was liable for your injuries. The damages you get will be based on your particular situation, so there is no way to say what a “standard” award of damages is for an Uber/Lyft accident.

You can base damages on a number of factors, like medical bills, lost income, and property damage. You can also get damages for less immediately tangible things like pain and suffering or emotional distress. Since those things do not have intrinsic value, you will have to demonstrate their worth to the court through evidence and persuasive arguments. Finally, if the defendant was more than merely negligent, you can request punitive damages. Courts do not always award punitive damages, and you have to ask for them in the initial filings of your claim, so you should work with our attorneys to see if requesting them makes sense for your claim.

Call Our Lochearn, MD Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyers Right Now

Talk to our Uber/Lyft accident attorneys with Rice, Murtha & Psoras when you contact us at (410) 694-7291.