Perry Hall, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

Accidents on the road are as common as ever, and more collisions involve Uber or Lyft vehicles. After such an accident, contact our legal team for help taking legal action and getting fair compensation for your injuries.

Various people or parties might be responsible for an accident with a Lyft or Uber car. Often, the rideshare drivers are negligent. Alternatively, another driver involved in the crash might be to blame. While you might want to hold the rideshare companies responsible, they are often protected from legal liability. To start building your case, we need evidence from the accident scene and details about your losses and injuries. Some common causes of these kinds of collisions include distracted drivers, speeding, and even intoxication. By determining how your accident happened, we may be better able to track down evidence. We can use this evidence to prove damages, including medical expenses, damaged property, emotional anguish, and more. Talk to a lawyer soon, as significant compensation might be at stake.

For a private review of your case for no charge, call (410) 694-7291 and speak to our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.

Determining Who is Legally Responsible for Lyft or Uber Accidents in Perry Hall, MD

As with any car accident, determining who is responsible for a collision involving Uber or Lyft can be difficult. Drivers should call for help immediately and make sure law enforcement is dispatched to the scene to investigate. Depending on what they find and what kind of evidence our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys turn up, various parties might be responsible for the accident.

The Companies Uber and Lyft

In many cases, injured drivers and passengers want to take legal action against the companies Uber and Lyft because their drivers are the ones who caused the accident. Unfortunately, injured accident victims are often disappointed to learn that these companies are usually shielded from legal liability because the drivers are technically not considered employees. Instead, drivers are classified as independent contractors.

Under the legal theory of respondeat superior, an employer may be held vicariously liable for injuries and damages caused by a negligent employee acting within the normal scope of their job when they caused an accident. This rule only applies to employees, not independent contractors. As such, we might be unable to take legal action against Uber or Lyft. Even so, talk to your lawyer about your accident. The legal landscape is constantly changing, and many believe these big companies should be held responsible.

Rideshare Drivers

The person driving the Uber or Lyft vehicle is often responsible for causing the accident. As discussed above, crashes involving rideshare drivers often happen because the drivers are in a hurry, distracted, or tired from long hours on the road. Whether you were a passenger in the rideshare car or driving your own car when the other driver hit you, you can hold them responsible for your injuries.

Others

It is possible that other parties besides the Lyft or Uber driver are partially to blame for the accident. Another driver passing by might have cut off the Uber driver whose car you were riding in. Your Uber driver might have been speeding dangerously, making it impossible for them to stop safely, so they ended up colliding with the other car. In such a case, both drivers might be named as defendants in your case.

Gathering Evidence to Build Your Case After an Accident with an Uber or Lyft Vehicle in Perry Hall, MD

We need evidence to begin building our case against the defendant. People sometimes mistakenly assume that evidence is not necessary until a case goes to trial. In reality, we need evidence almost right away. When we file a complaint to initiate a lawsuit, we must include some evidence to show the court that your case has merit. Without it, your case will likely be dismissed as nothing more than baseless accusations.

We can begin gathering evidence at the location of the accident. Many accident victims take photos and record videos of the area, vehicles, and people at the crash scene. These recordings can be submitted to an insurance company or a court as evidence of the crash. Having these photos and videos might be more important than some people realize. The accident scene will likely be cleared away quickly by the authorities, so your photos and videos might be all that remains of the scene.

We can also talk to other people present at the accident scene. They might have valuable information and can testify as witnesses. For example, another driver might have witnessed your Uber driver run off the road before stopping to help. Their testimony may be invaluable to your case.

We also need your testimony regarding your own observations during the accident. If you were a passenger in the rideshare car when your driver caused an accident, your testimony might be the lynchpin that holds your case together. Only you can testify about the defendant’s negligent behavior because you were in the car with them to witness it firsthand.

Common Causes of Lyft and Uber Collisions in Perry Hall, MD

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways a car accident might happen. Determining exactly how your crash occurred is our first step toward holding negligent drivers responsible and getting fair compensation.

Speed is a huge factor in many car accident cases. Uber and Lyft drivers often drive faster than is safe because they are hurrying to drop off passengers. The more rides these drivers can complete in a given time, the more money they earn. In a way, they are under pressure to drive fast, putting passengers and other drivers at serious risk.

Reckless driving is another problem. Some drivers simply shouldn’t be on the road. They might be careless, easily distracted, and prone to ignoring signs and signals. These kinds of drivers often commit traffic violations that lead to bad accidents. Maybe your Lyft driver neglected to check if it was safe before changing lanes on the highway. Maybe they ignored a stop sign. Whatever happens, tell the police after the accident and tell your attorney.

Another possible cause of your crash is that the driver was overly tired. Uber and Lyft drivers sometimes drive for a long time, even into the late hours of the night or early morning. A tired driver could easily fall asleep at the wheel and cause an accident.

Reach Out to Our Perry Hall, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys for Support

For a private review of your case for no charge, call (410) 694-7291 and speak to our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.