Cambridge, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer
Using a ridesharing service like Lyft or Uber can be very convenient, but rideshare drivers are not immune to accidents. If you were injured in an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, our attorneys will work to get you compensation.
Accidents involving rideshare cars are fairly common, and multiple parties might share some of the blame. Depending on the situation, you might sue the driver of the rideshare car, the driver of another car, or both. The companies Uber and Lyft are typically off-limits in these kinds of cases because their drivers are legally considered independent contractors, not employees. Even so, Lyft or Uber might cover your accident through their insurance policies. If insurance does not cover all your expenses or is unavailable, you can sue for damages, including monetary costs from the accident and mental suffering.
Call our Cambridge, MD Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at (410) 694-7291, and our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras will arrange a free, private case review to get you started.
People Responsible for Accidents with Lyft or Uber Vehicles in Cambridge, MD
We can help you investigate multiple potentially liable parties in your accident case. Of course, we should examine the driver of the rideshare care to determine if they caused the accident, but other drivers might be worth looking into, too. While an Uber or Lyft driver might be at fault for the crash, the company behind them is often shielded from liability, as detailed below.
The Companies Uber and Lyft
While you can sue the driver of the Uber or Lyft vehicle involved in your accident, the same cannot be said for the ridesharing companies. Normally, if an employee causes an accident by their inexcusable negligence, you can sue their employer. This rule does not apply in cases of Lyft or Uber accidents. These drivers are legally not considered employees of these companies. Instead, they are independent contractors.
Because drivers for ridesharing companies decide when, where, and how long they work, among other things, they are legally classified as independent contractors. This is important to understand because it means we usually cannot sue Uber or Lyft for injuries caused by their drivers. This can be very disappointing to hear, especially for plaintiffs with very high damages who were maybe relying on the resources of a larger company to cover their losses. However, as explained below, these companies often have insurance that might help cover your accident.
Rideshare Drivers
Naturally, the first person we should scrutinize is the driver of the rideshare car in your accident. One possibility is that you were a passenger in the Ube or Lyft vehicle when the accident happened. Many rideshare trips are relatively short, and people often expect to reach their final destination in only a few minutes. Unfortunately, rideshare drivers tend to drive very hastily because the more rides they can complete, the more they get paid. As such, speeding and reckless driving are common factors in these collisions.
Another possibility is that you were in a different vehicle when the driver of the Uber or Lyft car hit you. You might not realize that the other driver is driving for Uber or Lyft until some time after the crash. Even if the other driver did not have a fare in their car during the crash, insurance from the ridesharing company might still apply and help cover some costs. Again, talk to a lawyer about how insurance might work for you in a case like this.
Other Drivers
It is not unusual for auto accidents to involve multiple vehicles. You might be in a crash with a ridesharing driver and various other drivers. Understanding who is responsible can be difficult, especially when everyone is trying to blame everyone else. While the Uber or Lyft driver might have significantly contributed to the accident, so might the other drivers. You can sue one or multiple defendants for your injuries. In such a case, an accident reconstruction expert might be necessary to scientifically recreate the accident to accurately determine who is responsible.
Will Uber or Lyft Pay for Anything After an Accident in Cambridge, MD?
Although plaintiffs typically cannot sue the companies Lyft and Uber for damages when a driver causes an accident, there might be insurance policies that cover the accident. These policies apply to the ridesharing drivers, and different coverage limits apply under different circumstances.
If you were involved in an accident with an Uber driver or a Lyft driver and their rideshare app was completely turned off, there is no coverage for your accident. Instead, you would rely on coverage from your insurance or the driver’s personal insurance.
If the driver had their app turned on and was on duty, but they had not yet been matched with or picked up a passenger, there may be limited coverage. Insurance might cover up to $25,000 for property damage, $50,000 for bodily injuries, and up to $100,000 for bodily injuries for the entire accident.
A much greater coverage applies if the driver was engaged with a rider, either on their way to pick one up or having one in the vehicle. Your accident might covered by up to $1 million for third-party liability claims.
Damages You May Recover in a Cambridge, MD Lyft or Uber Accident Case
Auto accident damages can be quite substantial, and Uber and Lyft accidents are no different. Suppose you were driving a separate vehicle when a rideshare vehicle crashed into you. In that case, you might be contending with costly medical bills on top of the extensive property damage to your car.
Not only that, but your injuries might prevent you from working for a while, and you might lose precious income when you need it the most. All these financial losses must be included in our damages calculations.
You can also claim damages for emotional or psychological damages. The accident might have been traumatic, leaving you with lasting mental and emotional scars. Uber and Lyft accidents can be especially traumatic because passengers feel like they have no control and rely solely on the driver to get them safely to their destination.
Talk to Our Cambridge, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys
Call our Cambridge, MD Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at (410) 694-7291, and our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras will schedule a free, private case review to get you started.