Uber and Lyft rideshare vehicles have become a common part of the traffic in Park Slope. With Prospect Park bordering the neighborhood, Uber and Lyft have become popular and integral transportation options for many in the area.
This increase in popularity has naturally led to increased accidents involving Uber and Lyft rideshare drivers. If you were hit by a rideshare driver or injured as a passenger, our attorneys can help you pursue compensation for the losses you suffered. While we usually cannot file a lawsuit against Uber or Lyft directly, you will likely have several insurance options available. If the driver was on duty when the accident occurred, we can help you file a claim with the company’s insurance, which can supplement the compensation you get from your own insurance. However, we will also explore ways to file a lawsuit so all your damages are covered.
For your free case evaluation with our Brooklyn Uber and Lyft accident attorneys, contact The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 today.
How Uber and Lyft Accidents Commonly Happen in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Bordering the immensely popular Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Park Slope sees countless Uber and Lyft rideshare drivers operating in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, that has led to a steep rise in accidents involving these companies. If you were injured as a passenger or the other driver, determining how your accident occurred will be the first place our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers investigate to determine liability. By learning how the accident happened, we will gather crucial details that will inform how we pursue compensation. The following are the most common causes of Uber and Lyft accidents in Park Slope:
Speeding
Although Park Slope is one of the most densely packed neighborhoods in NYC, rideshare drivers still speed through the area regularly. The faster a driver picks up and drops off a passenger, the faster they can get another. The quicker the ride, the more likely passengers will leave positive reviews and tips. Thus, they have a financial incentive to drive quickly.
However, this too often injures other people. Speeding drivers do not have enough time to react to quickly changing traffic patterns and pedestrians crossing the street. The impact usually also causes much more severe injuries.
Distracted Driving
Distracted drivers are another major cause of Park Slope rideshare accidents. Uber and Lyft drivers must pay attention to many more details than most other drivers. They can be easily distracted by their phone while checking the GPS or looking for a rider.
Many others get distracted while scouting the roads since most Uber and Lyft drivers are not from Park Slope and are unfamiliar with its roads.
Other rideshare drivers use the work time to catch up on phone calls and text messages. Our team can collect phone records and rideshare app information to determine if they were on the phone when the accident occurred.
Fatigued Driving
Driving tired can be just as dangerous as driving distracted. Uber and Lyft drivers working long shifts and late nights might be unable to respond before it is too late. In the worst cases, they could fall asleep and hit pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Unfortunately, there are no real regulations on how long a rideshare driver should be operating. However, if records show that they drove for an unreasonable amount of time, we can argue that their fatigue contributed to the accident.
Vehicle Defects or Faulty Repairs
In some cases, the accident was not caused by the driver but by a defect in the car. In such situations, we can file a claim against the vehicle’s manufacturer or a repair shop if it was recently worked on.
Who to Hold Liable for an Uber or Lyft Accident in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Often, the most challenging issue in an Uber or Lyft accident claim is how to recover compensation and from whom. Car accident claims can already be confusing, but the insurance rules implicated after a rideshare accident can make it much more difficult to get compensation.
The first source you will typically turn to for coverage is your driver’s insurance if you were the passenger or your own if you were the other driver. All drivers in Park Slope must carry no-fault insurance, which will compensate them and their passengers for economic losses in the event of an accident. However, basic no-fault insurance is rarely enough to cover a victim’s losses totally.
Fortunately, Uber and Lyft drivers are required to carry rideshare insurance in addition to their personal coverage. If your initial coverage is not enough to cover your damages, we can help file a third-party claim with this insurance to bridge the gap.
If the rideshare driver was on duty when the accident occurred, Uber and Lyft both have additional insurance policies to help cover the losses and avoid litigation. However, the range of the policy limits will differ depending on whether the driver has a passenger, accepted a ride, or is on the app waiting for a rider.
If the driver has accepted a ride or has a passenger when the accident occurs, Uber and Lyft offer insurance with policy limits of up to $1,000,000. For incidents where the driver is still waiting for a fair but is logged into the app, the policy limits will be up to $50,000 for bodily injury and property damage.
If the driver is not logged in, Uber and Lyft will not offer any insurance. Instead, we must rely on the other insurance options available or file a lawsuit. Unfortunately, Uber and Lyft are typically shielded from lawsuits since their drivers are considered “independent” workers. Still, we can usually file a lawsuit against the driver individually and any other parties who played a part in causing your injuries.
Get in Contact with Our Park Slope, Brooklyn Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys for Help Today
Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to get a free review of your claim with our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers.