Phoenix Rideshare Accident Attorney
With Uber and Lyft, travelers can hail cost-effective rides on demand. People often view rideshare transportation as a safer alternative to driving — especially after drinking. Despite this, Uber and Lyft drivers make all the same mistakes as other drivers, such as speeding, driving while drowsy, and driving under the influence. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an Uber or Lyft accident in Phoenix, you need a Phoenix rideshare accident attorney from Gallagher & Kennedy to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Providing effective representation to Arizona car crash victims is what we do best. You can depend on us to develop a strong case for you.
The personal injury lawyers at Gallagher & Kenney have over 40 years of experience providing accident victims with personalized legal representation in their pursuit of justice and just compensation. Here is why you should choose us for your Uber or Lyft accident case:
- Our attorneys understand the rideshare industry, including when you can hold Uber or Lyft or their insurance companies legally responsible for accidents involving their drivers.
- If necessary, will take your case to court to achieve the best results.
- Our law firm has served Phoenix for more than 44 years.
- The rideshare accident lawyers at our firm operate on a contingency fee arrangement, which means we don’t charge a fee unless we win.
Our personal injury lawyers can handle all aspects of your Phoenix Uber or Lyft accident claim. Here are some ways our rideshare lawyer can help you:
- Collecting evidence
- Obtain copies of police reports
- Obtain medical records
- Interview medical experts
- Conduct interviews with witnesses
- Consult with accident reconstruction specialists
- Value your claim for damages
- Handle all communications with the insurance company
- Negotiate with the insurance company for maximum compensation
- Represent you in court if the insurance company refuses to offer you a fair settlement
Should I Accept an Offer from the Insurance Company?
You should never accept a settlement offer from an insurance company without first talking with a lawyer and understanding what your claim is really worth.
You place yourself at a major disadvantage if you attempt to handle your claim alone. Often, insurance companies use delay-and-deny tactics to avoid offering fair settlements to unrepresented clients. And when they do, they usually offer them way less than they deserve.
Uber and Lyft are notorious for avoiding liability for collisions, so winning a case against them can present challenges that non-lawyers cannot overcome. Hiring a Phoenix rideshare accident attorney from Gallagher & Kennedy can optimize your odds of achieving financial recovery.
Ridesharing disrupted the taxi services industry. Regulations and rules for each are entirely different. Rideshare companies are Transportation Network Companies (TNCs).
Taxi companies are not TNCs. State (and sometimes city) laws and regulations subject TNCs to special licensing, insurance, permit, and compliance requirements in Arizona. Taxi drivers are subject to different rules. Taxis are generally more heavily regulated than rideshares.
With a rideshare app, a rider can hail a vehicle. A rideshare vehicle charges customers per trip rather than per minute spent in transit. However, rideshare prices are prone to price surges. Within minutes, someone can summon a rideshare vehicle to a person’s location on demand. Depending on the location, a taxi typically takes longer to arrive.
In addition to fingerprint checks and in-person interviews, taxi companies have a more comprehensive hiring process. The taxi companies thoroughly investigate their drivers’ criminal and driving backgrounds. Uber and Lyft, on the other hand, do not meet their drivers or run fingerprints on them before they pick up passengers. Driver training and vehicle maintenance are also responsibilities of taxi companies. Rideshare drivers maintain their own vehicles and are responsible for their driving skills.
Drivers are not reimbursed for vehicle maintenance or repairs by rideshare companies. As a result, drivers may be less likely to maintain their vehicles properly.
The law classifies drivers for Uber and Lyft as independent contractors in Arizona. Since a driver is not technically an employee of the company, the company cannot be held vicariously liable for their actions. Uber and Lyft are not entirely immune from liability, however. If a ride was in progress at the time of the collision, both companies have $1 million insurance policies to cover rider injuries.
In most cases, a driver who is off-duty when your collision occurs will be liable for the damages you suffer. You must contact the driver’s personal insurance provider to file a claim. A rideshare company’s insurance provider might cover your damages. You can file a claim against the correct party in Arizona with the assistance of a rideshare accident lawyer from Gallagher & Kennedy.
Insurance coverage is a complex subject in the aftermath of a rideshare accident. A crash recovery may involve multiple insurance companies representing the rideshare company, the driver, the passenger, or a third party.
Uber and Lyft require all drivers to carry auto insurance, but they also provide additional coverage if their drivers get into a crash while on the job. Here’s what rideshare companies pay and when:
When the Rideshare Driver is Waiting for a Ride Request
Lyft and Uber provide the following coverage for third-party liability if their driver’s personal car insurance doesn’t apply:
- $50,000 in bodily injury per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
When the Rideshare Driver is In Route to Pick Up Riders and During Trips
Lyft and Uber provide the following car insurance for their rideshare drivers in the event of an accident:
- $1 million third-party liability
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury and/or first-party injury insurance
- Contingent comprehensive and collision up to the actual cash value of the car with a $2,500 deductible
To determine which insurance company is responsible for your injuries and damages after a rideshare accident, you or your lawyer must identify the at-fault party.
Additionally, you will need to determine what phase of the ride you were in when the accident occurred. You may be entitled to compensation from one or more parties. Financial recovery can be maximized by filing with the right company. For more information about insurance coverage for your Uber or Lyft accident, contact Gallagher & Kennedy today.
There are many benefits to working for a rideshare company. The drivers of Uber and Lyft can make their own schedules, work independently, and make as much or as little as they want. Uber and Lyft also have minimal regulations regarding who they hire as drivers, making the screening and hiring process easy. Uber and Lyft each have millions of drivers.
Uber or Lyft drivers who spend long hours on the road transporting passengers are at greater risk of traffic accidents. Most ridesharing companies do not provide insurance coverage after a crash. That person’s insurance will cover damages caused by someone else’s negligence.
In most cases, Uber or Lyft’s $1 million insurance policy won’t kick in unless the at-fault driver has insufficient insurance. Uber or Lyft may cover your costs if you logged into the app when the accident happened.
Ridesharing-Related Assault Risks
Getting into a vehicle with a stranger can subject you to criminal activity, including assault, robbery, abduction, and homicide. That goes for drivers as well as riders.
Should this happen to you, report what happened to the police right away, seek medical treatment for any injuries you sustained, and then contact Gallagher & Kennedy. Our Phoenix rideshare accident lawyers can investigate your case, uncover evidence to support your allegations and pursue the compensation and justice you deserve.
Do I Qualify for Compensation?
Injury victims are taken care of by the plaintiffs’ attorneys at Gallagher & Kennedy. Taking legal action on behalf of people who have suffered damages because of the negligent or reckless actions of another party is something we are passionate about.
You can receive payments for damages such as medical expenses, physical pain, emotional anguish, disabilities, lost earnings capacity, wrongful death, and property damage repairs. Contact us to discuss your case’s potential value.
An accident involving a rideshare vehicle can have devastating consequences. Individuals in the accident can suffer life-altering and catastrophic injuries, including fractured bones, head and brain injuries, injuries to the back and spine, whiplash, muscle tears, lacerations, burns, and internal injuries. In addition to physical injuries, trauma can cause significant distress, anguish, grief, and a loss of quality of life.
If you suffered an injury in a rideshare accident, you might recover compensation for damages, such as:
- Medical expenses: Most successful rideshare accident claims result in compensation for victims’ past and future medical costs. As a result of your Uber or Lyft accident, you may have to pay ambulance fees, hospital visits, surgeries, medications, medical devices, live-in care, ongoing therapy, and rehabilitation costs.
- Property damage: You can recover the costs of car repairs or the replacement of a totaled vehicle. While you wait for your car repairs, the at-fault party’s insurance company may cover the cost of a rental vehicle.
- Lost wages: Serious personal injury can keep you out of work for days, months, or even the rest of your life. A crash-related disability may entitle you to recover past and future financial losses. You can calculate your future lost earning capacity with the help of a lawyer.
- Pain and suffering: Under Arizona civil law, victims can recover both non-economic and economic damages. Psychological trauma, physical pain, and emotional suffering all fall under this category. You may be entitled to compensation for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and many other intangible losses.
Courts can determine a claim’s value by the severity and extent of your injuries. The court will also consider the at-fault party’s actions and your age, health, income, and disability level. You can also receive more money for a rideshare accident claim if your accident lawyer is skilled during settlement negotiations or litigation.
What Should I Do if My Uber or Lyft Driver Is in an Accident?
In most aspects, rideshare accidents are no different from other accidents. In each case, you should:
- Call the police.
- Accept medical care from paramedics on the scene.
- Remain at the scene until responders transport you for medical treatment.
- See a medical professional as soon as possible if you don’t receive treatment at the accident scene.
- Contact a Phoenix rideshare accident lawyer.
Submit a feedback report to Uber or Lyft following a rideshare accident. You will receive information regarding your insurance claim eligibility from the rideshare company.
Phoenix Rideshare Accident Lawyer, Bob Boatman
We can help victims who have suffered severe or catastrophic injuries in an Uber or Lyft accident in Arizona. As Uber and Lyft accident attorneys, we have helped many clients seek financial compensation for their injuries. One of our Phoenix personal injury attorneys can answer any questions you may have about your case.
We offer free, one-on-one consultations to injured clients. Contact us at (602) 530-8400 to schedule yours today.
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Gallagher & Kennedy – Phoenix Office
2575 E Camelback Rd, Suite 1100
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Tel: (602) 530-8400