Mt. Airy, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

For many, Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies have become the go-to transportation services. Whether people are commuting to work or going out for a night in town, these services are extremely convenient. Unfortunately, accidents involving rideshare vehicles can happen just like accidents involving any other vehicle. Just like in any other car crash, victims are often seriously injured and have to deal with potentially permanent injuries and hefty medical bills.

If you got injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, you should get professional legal help. You are able to get compensation for your injuries and hold accountable those parties who wronged you.

To get a free case review from Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Uber and Lyft accident attorneys, call (410) 694-7291.

Should You Sue Uber/Lyft After an Accident Involving One of Their Vehicles in Mt. Airy, MD?

When you are considering filing a lawsuit with our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers, your first instinct may be to sue the rideshare company the driver was working for. After all, sometimes employers are liable for their employees, right?

True as that may be, the issue is that Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, not employees, so liability does not attach to the rideshare company. Instead, you can work with insurance companies to have them provide coverage, sue other parties, or both.

Parties You Can File Uber and Lyft Accident Lawsuits Against in Mt. Airy, MD

You can file your claim against more than one party, as several parties may be responsible for your injuries. However, you should not throw the proverbial kitchen sink at everyone you think just possibly had a hand in causing your injuries. You can only recover damages from parties you can prove negligently caused your crash, so suing parties you know for sure were not involved in your accident is a waste of valuable resources that could go towards furthering your claims against other parties.

Rideshare Drivers

If your rideshare driver was the cause of your accident, you should sue them. Rideshare drivers can be responsible for accidents in all the ways any other driver would be. Things like speeding, driving drunk, and constantly switching lanes are all negligent acts that would make a rideshare driver liable for your injuries.

Other Drivers

If another driver is responsible for your accident, you want to sue them, not your rideshare driver. However, your rideshare driver will probably still be involved in your claim either as a witness or in another capacity.

Vehicle Designers and Manufacturers

If a problem with a car on the road causes your accident, you can sue the manufacturer or designer of that vehicle. Vehicles that have things wrong with them that make them dangerous to use in a normal fashion are considered “defective.” When filing a claim arising from a defective vehicle, you sue the party responsible for the defect. So, if the problem is baked into the vehicle’s blueprints, you would sue the designer, whereas if the problem was from a botched repair job, you would sue the mechanic shop that worked on your vehicle.

Insurance Providers

If insurance providers are not giving you the coverage they are supposed to, you can take them to court to compel them to provide coverage. However, you may want to have our lawyers try and negotiate things amicably first, as that may be less costly and time-consuming.

Insurance in Mt. Airy, MD Uber and Lyft Accidents

Insurance schemes surrounding rideshare accidents can be very complicated, as there are a number of different policies from which you can seek coverage. Those policies include:

Regular Auto Insurance Policies

Every driver is required to have a regular automotive insurance policy for their vehicle. However, in many cases this is not the correct insurance policy to go after. If a driver other than your Uber driver hit you and caused the accident, you would go after their insurance policy, but in many other situations there are different policies from which you should seek coverage.

Commercial Driver’s Insurance

Commercial driver’s insurance, or CDI, is a specialized insurance policy tailored towards vehicles used for commercial purposes. In addition to Uber or Lyft vehicles, commercial trucks, food vehicles, and company vehicles will all probably have commercial driver’s insurance policies. CDI policies are some of the first ones you should look to get coverage from when preparing your claim.

Rideshare Insurance

Rideshare insurance is like commercial driver’s insurance, but it is specifically tailored to drivers for companies like Uber. Rideshare insurance is also a good insurance policy to get coverage from if the policyholder caused your injuries.

Contingent Collision Coverage

In addition to any insurance the rideshare driver has, companies like Uber and Lyft have what is called “contingent collision coverage.” This is extra coverage provided by the company that helps people injured in rideshare accidents. How much coverage you get will depend on the situation surrounding your accident. For example, Uber’s contingent collision coverage is $1 million if the driver either had a ride queued up or was actively transporting a passenger, but it is $50,000 if the driver is active in the app but does not have a ride queued up.

Sue Them if there is No Insurance

If the party who caused your accident does not have insurance, you can still sue them in court, as they are responsible for your injuries, and you are entitled to justice and financial compensation. Our lawyers will fight for them to be held accountable and work out how they are going to get you the compensation you are owed.

Contact Our Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys from Mt. Airy, MD, Right Away

Call (410) 694-7291 and talk to Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Uber and Lyft accident attorneys today.