Transportation in New York City is extremely important to New Yorkers and tourists alike. Uber and Lyft allow ordinary people to offer their driving services like taxi drivers. When Uber and Lyft drivers get into accidents, it can be unclear who is to blame.
When filing a lawsuit after an Uber or Lyft crash, we must determine who should be held liable. Often, the Uber or Lyft driver is heavily scrutinized for liability. However, other drivers on the road might share the blame. In your lawsuit, it is important to calculate your damages accurately. Forgetting to include certain economic damages or undervaluing non-economic damages may cost you compensation. The ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft have insurance that might cover your accident under specific conditions. An attorney can help you determine the best way to approach your case and get compensation.
If you were in a crash with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you should speak to our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft accident lawyers about a potential lawsuit. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.
Liability for Uber and Lyft Accidents in Jamaica, Queens
To hold someone liable, we must establish that they were negligent and that their negligence was the direct cause of the crash. Numerous people involved in the accident might be liable or even share liability. You can discuss how your accident happened with our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft accident attorneys to figure out who should be held liable for your crash.
Suing the Uber or Lyft Driver
The Uber or Lyft driver might be responsible for causing the accident and your injuries. These drivers often drive for hours on end, pick up passenger after passenger, and drive all over the city. It might be that they simply grew fatigued or got distracted and crashed into another vehicle. Uber and Lyft drivers not only owe a duty to drive with reasonable safety, but they are responsible for the safety of their passengers.
Suing Other Drivers
Perhaps another driver on the road caused your accident rather than your Uber or Lyft driver. Accidents can happen almost anywhere at any time, and Uber and Lyft cars are not immune. Perhaps another driver was distracted, tired, intoxicated, or simply careless. Alternatively, your Uber or Lyft driver and another driver might be jointly liable for the accident.
For example, suppose your Uber driver attempted to merge into another lane without using a turn signal. Next, suppose that at that same time, another driver came up from behind at a dangerously high speed and struck the Uber vehicle from behind. The other driver would be liable because of their speeding, and the Uber driver would be liable because they failed to signal a lane change. Our Jamaica, Queens Lyft and Uber accident lawyers can help you sue as many people as necessary to get fair compensation.
Suing the Company Uber or Lyft
Parties that are usually off limits in these kinds of cases are the ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft. People sometimes mistakenly assume that after an accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver, the company that employed the driver can be sued too. While this is often the case in other situations, things are different for Uber and Lyft drivers.
Normally, an employer can be held vicariously liable for their employee’s negligence under a theory of vicarious liability. This rule does not apply to Uber or Lyft because their drivers are legally not considered employees but are instead independent contractors.
Damages Available in Uber and Lyft Accidents in Jamaica, Queens
Damages can be economic, meaning they reflect real financial losses experienced by the plaintiff. Damages can also be non-economic, meaning no money was lost, but the experience and injuries still deserve compensation. Our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft Accident lawyers can help you determine the extent of your damages and get you the most compensation possible.
Economic damages encompass the monetary cost of your injuries. One very important form of economic damage we must always consider is your medical costs. After a car accident, you should get emergency medical treatment. In severe instances, you might also need ongoing treatment that could last weeks, months, or even years. You can claim future medical expenses as part of your economic damages when that happens. Other economic damages include lost wages from missing work because of your injuries, the cost to repair your vehicle if you were not in the Uber or Lyft car, and any other injuries that came with a price tag.
Non-economic damages are sometimes harder to calculate because they are subjective, and different plaintiffs may have different experiences. Your emotional and physical pain and suffering are non-economic damages can be quite high depending on how they affect you. If your pian and suffering hinder your ability to function and perform normal daily tasks, you can claim damages and additional compensation.
Insurance Coverage for Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft Accidents
Depending on how your accident happened, Uber and Lyft may have additional insurance coverage that may be applied to your damages. One key detail of your accident is the Uber or Lyft app used by the driver on their phone. If the app is turned off, the driver is considered off-duty, and no insurance coverage from Uber or Lyft will apply to your accident. If the driver turned their app off shortly before the crash, your insurance options might be limited.
The next level of insurance coverage applies when the app is turned on, and the Uber or Lyft driver is waiting for a ride request. This means that the driver might be driving around town but has no passenger, nor are they on their way to pick one up. In that case, there may be $50,000 per person for bodily injuries, $100,000 per accident for bodily injuries, and $25,000 per accident for property damage.
The highest level of coverage applies when the driver has their app turned on and is engaged with a rider. This might mean a rider is in the car when the crash happens, or the driver is on their way to pick up a rider. Coverage at this level includes $1,000,000 for third-party auto liability and uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage.
This coverage might be in addition to other insurance carried by the driver personally. Our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you use this coverage to your advantage when suing for compensation.
Call Our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers for Help Today
Uber and Lyft accidents can be tragic, and our Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft accident lawyers are here to help you when you need it the most. For a free case evaluation, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.