Numerous car accidents happen each day in Melville. Victims of car accidents can face physical pain, emotional anguish, and financial distress. When such accidents involve Uber and Lyft drivers, injured parties may wonder how to obtain financial compensation.
You typically cannot sue Uber or Lyft directly after an accident. However, both rideshare companies carry insurance policies to cover damages caused by accidents involving their drivers. An Uber and Lyft accident lawyer can provide assistance to victims when filling their claims.
If you were injured because of an Uber or Lyft accident in Melville, get help recovering the compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.
Suing Uber or Lyft After an Accident in Melville
Uber and Lyft drivers are classified as independent contractors, rather than traditional employees. This means that Uber and Lyft typically cannot be held liable for the negligent actions of their drivers. In most cases, compensation may only be recovered from Uber or Lyft by making claims under their insurance policies.
Only under extremely rare circumstances may you sue Uber or Lyft directly after an accident. For example, a rideshare company can be held liable for negligent hiring practices that led to a crash. If Uber or Lyft did not perform a proper background check before hiring a driver with a dangerous driving record, they may be responsible for accidents caused by that driver. Our Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help determine if a rideshare company contributed to your accident by engaging in poor hiring practices.
Common Causes of Uber and Lyft Accidents in Melville
Drivers are expected to exercise reasonable care behind the wheel. Still, numerous Uber and Lyft accidents are caused by drivers’ negligent behavior. The following are common causes of Uber and Lyft accidents in Melville:
Ignoring Traffic Signals
Many Uber and Lyft accidents are caused by drivers that ignore traffic signals. Such accidents frequently occur at busy intersections, where multiple lanes of traffic converge. Motorists who run red lights or fail to yield the right of way can cause severe, head-on collisions. Our Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can provide support to victims of crashes caused by drivers who ignored traffic signals.
Speeding
Rideshare drivers are often in a hurry to complete their rides. These drivers may be in a hurry because they want to complete their last ride of the day or because they want to maximize the number of rides given in a particular time frame.
Regardless of their reasoning, hurried drivers regularly operate their vehicles at excessive speeds. Drivers travelling at excessive speeds will have difficulty responding to traffic signals, vehicles, and hazards on the roadway. Accordingly, many Uber and Lyft accidents are also caused by speeding drivers. Furthermore, accidents that occur at high speeds are more likely to cause serious injuries.
Improper Lane Changes
Furthermore, improper lane changes are another a common cause of Uber and Lyft accidents in Melville. Improper lane changes can occur because a driver failed to use their turn signals or attempted a lane change in an illegal zone. For example, serious accidents can be caused by rideshare drivers that attempt to change lanes on highways without using their turn signals. Our experienced Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help victims recover compensation for accidents caused by drivers that committed improper lane changes.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of Uber and Lyft accidents in Melville. Distracted driving can come in many forms. Drivers can become distracted because they took their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. Additionally, drivers can become distracted when they take their mind off the task of driving. Some activities involve more than one form of distraction. The following are examples of activities that frequently distract drivers in Melville:
- Using a rideshare app
- Plugging information into a GPS
- Choosing music on a mobile streaming service
- Viewing social media on a mobile device
- Texting
- Talking with passengers
- Eating or drinking
- Talking on the phone
There are numerous other activities that may distract drivers. Fortunately, victims of Uber and Lyft accidents caused by distracted drivers may be entitled to monetary damages.
Drunk Driving
Rideshare drivers are often on the road late at night, transporting passengers that are unable to drive themselves. Unfortunately, many Uber and Lyft accidents are caused by drunk, third-party motorists also sharing the roads during late-night hours.
Drunk drivers will have poor vision and exhibit dangerous decision-making abilities. After drunk driving accidents, victims that suffered serious injuries may file lawsuits against at-fault motorists. You can contact our experienced Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers for help proving that your crash was caused by a drunk driver.
Tailgating
Additionally, tailgating is also a common cause of Uber and Lyft accidents in Melville. Tailgating refers to the practice of driving too closely behind the car in-front of you. Tailgating drivers will be unable to stop in time if the car in front of them needs to brake. Accidents caused by tailgating drivers are particularly common on busy highways and congested urban streets. Injured parties should be able to recover monetary damages after Uber and Lyft accidents caused by tailgating drivers.
Reckless Driving
Lastly, reckless driving is another common cause of Uber and Lyft accidents in Melville. According to New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1212, reckless driving refers to any activity that unreasonably interferes with the use of a public roadway or unreasonably endangers other motorists. For example, a driver travelling the wrong way down a one-way street may be found guilty of reckless driving.
There are many forms of behavior that may be considered reckless driving. Our Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help determine if your accident was caused by a reckless driver.
If You Were Injured Because of an Uber or Lyft Accident in Melville, Our Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured because of an Uber or Lyft accident, seek assistance from our experienced Melville Uber and Lyft accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.