Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer In Port St. Lucie, FL
The rise in the popularity of ridesharing companies has been accompanied by an increase in the number of ride-sharing accidents as well. Fortunately, Florida traffic laws allow you to claim compensation for damages that result from a ride-sharing accident. Our team of expert Uber & Lyft accident lawyers in Port St. Lucie, FL is on standby to help you seek a quick and fair claim settlement.
How Are Uber & Lyft Accident Claims Different From Regular Auto Accidents?
The first thing that makes ridesharing accident claims different from regular car accidents is that more than one insurance company is involved — the complications of whom among the different players involved in the crash is responsible for paying a settlement can be quite confusing. Furthermore, Uber and Lyft insurance policies can be quite complex.
Ridesharing companies refer to their drivers as independent contractors. Because of this, you may not be in a position to directly demand a claim from such companies.
Who is Responsible for Uber and Lyft Accident Injuries?
Typically, the injured party in a ride-sharing accident could be:
- The passenger in the ridesharing vehicle.
- A driver or passenger of the other car that a ridesharing vehicle collides with.
- The Uber or Lyft driver.
- Other road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Depending on the accident’s nature, you can file a claim against:
- The ridesharing company.
- The ridesharing driver.
- The insurance company of the ridesharing driver.
- The ridesharing company’s insurer.
Uber and Lyft Liability Coverage for Drivers
These are the coverage limits for ridesharing vehicles when the ridesharing app is on but the vehicle is not carrying any passengers:
- Coverage of $50,000 per person for bodily injuries, primary automobile liability, or death.
- $100,000 coverage for primary automobile liability, bodily injury, and death per incidence.
- $25,000 property damage liability for each incidence.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and personal injury protection.
Coverage limits when the ridesharing vehicle is carrying a passenger are:
- A minimum of $1 million primary automobile liability coverage for bodily injury, death, or damage to property.
- Personal injury protection and underinsured/uninsured motorist protection.
What Happens if a Rideshare App is Off or the Driver is Logged Out?
If the rideshare app is turned off when an accident happens, the driver will have to use their personal insurance cover to pay for damages caused or sustained.
Do You Lose Access to Lyft or Uber if You Make a Claim?
Whether you are a driver or a passenger, you will not lose any access to these companies’ services after making a claim.
Proving Negligence in an Uber or Lyft Accident
To win a damage claim, you need to establish the fault of the responsible party. If you feel that the driver directly caused the crash, you must prove the following:
- That you were owed or entitled to a duty of care.
- That the rideshare driver breached this duty.
- As a result of the breach of the duty of care, an accident occurred.
- You suffered substantial damages from the resultant crash.
How Much Can Passengers and Injured Road Users Claim From Uber and Lyft Accidents?
As long as you can prove fault on a rideshare driver, you can collect the following as compensation:
- Pain and suffering
- All medical costs
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of income and reduced capacity to earn
- Emotional distress
- Loss of service
If the accident led to a loved one’s death, our lawyers would help you file a wrongful death suit to claim damages such as funeral costs, potential loss of inheritance, loss of companionship, and loss of a breadwinner’s support. Should you feel that the accident was a direct result of a driver’s willful or malicious act, we can aid in filing a punitive damages claim to punish the driver to deter such behavior from reoccurring in the future.
What Damages Can an Uber/Lyft Driver Claim
With the right legal representation, you can win compensation for all losses and inconveniences suffered. Some of the costs that our lawyers will help you claim include:
- Medical costs – Any present or future expenses that are directly related to the accident.
- Property damages to your car so that you can resume driving quickly.
- Lost wages – As a ridesharing driver, you can seek compensation for all the money you are unable to make while your car is repaired.
- Rental car costs – Although you cannot offer Uber or Lyft services using a rented car, you can seek compensation for all expenses you incur to rent a vehicle while yours gets repaired.
Tell Us About Your Case – Free Evaluation and Legal Guidance!
Whether you suffered damages as an Uber or Lyft passenger, driver, or as a third party, we can help you get the legal assistance you need. We will start you off with a free consultation and we offer no-contingency services. This means that you pay nothing until we win your case. Call us today at 305-928-2909 to get started.