If you were injured while using Uber, Lyft, or another ridesharing service, you may have questions beyond your injury—who is legally at fault, and how do I make sure they pay?
Let us put you in touch with a lawyer who can help you. Our attorneys will give you a FREE consultation to answer your questions, figure out who’s at fault, and help you decide on the next steps. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
What makes an Uber passenger accident different from other accidents?
Over the past several years, ridesharing services Uber and Lyft have become popular in Atlanta. Ridesharing is similar to taking a taxi. But instead of hailing a cab on a street corner, you use an app to call for a ride and pay for it.
Uber and Lyft drivers use their own vehicles to transport passengers. Most of them are careful drivers who do their best to get passengers safely to their destinations. But like anyone else, they can be involved in accidents—and they can still be liable.
If you are injured while riding as an Uber or Lyft passenger, you may have a claim, just as you would in any other type of car accident.
Who is “at fault” in an Uber passenger accident?
Most car accidents happen because one driver wasn’t as careful as he or she should have been. Legally, this is called “negligence.” Negligence might mean that a driver didn’t obey a traffic signal, was distracted by a cell phone, or changed lanes abruptly without signaling. A negligent driver is legally at fault and must pay the financial cost of an accident, including injuries and property damage.
As a passenger of a ridesharing service, the accident is never your fault. Instead, it may be the fault of the Uber driver or another driver.
- If another driver caused the accident, their insurance must pay for the damage.
- If the Uber driver is at fault, insurance plays out a little differently. The Uber driver probably has a personal auto insurance policy, but in most cases your accident will be covered by the ridesharing company’s insurance instead.
Uber and Lyft each carry a $1 million insurance policy to cover accidents involving passengers. This is good news because the Uber policy is much larger than a typical driver’s insurance coverage.
What kinds of injuries are involved in Uber passenger accident claims?
Car accident injuries in general can range from minor bruises to life-changing spinal cord injuries, or even fatalities. Uber accidents are no exception, and the type of injuries you might suffer depend on the type of vehicle you were in, where you were sitting, and the way the accident happened. Passengers in the back seat of an Uber vehicle might suffer these common injuries:
- Head injuries from striking your head against the seat in front of you or another hard surface on the inside of the car.
- Whiplash caused by the forward motion generated by the impact. Whiplash is an extremely painful condition caused by tearing of neck muscles when you head is propelled suddenly forward.
- Broken bones from hitting your face, hands or arms on the inside of the car
- Cuts and bruises from broken glass and impacts
Never assume a car accident injury is just a minor annoyance that will heal on its own. Always get it checked out by a doctor. Some common injuries such as whiplash aren’t apparent on the surface, but can grow more serious and painful if they are not treated promptly.
How much money will I receive in an Uber accident claim?
In Georgia, accident victims are entitled to recover all the reasonable costs of the accident. This is true no matter whose car you were riding in, but the exact amount you will recover will depend on the circumstances of your accident. Many accident victims are able to recover these costs:
- Medical expenses
- Prescription medication costs
- The cost of physical therapy
- Lost wages, if you missed time from work because of the accident
If your injuries were more serious, you may be eligible for much larger financial awards. These can include awards for pain and suffering or a disability. If DUI was involved, you may be able to recover additional punitive damages. Money can never truly make up for the effects of a serious car accident, but it can help you maintain financial stability and support your family while you continue your recovery.
How can a lawyer help me?
Uber and Lyft both carry $1 million insurance policies to cover their drivers, and their insurer may have already offered you money. The problem is, insurance companies are motivated to increase their profits by paying as little as possible in claims, and that means their offer probably is far less than your claim is really worth. One way a lawyer can help you is by getting you to a doctor who can fully diagnose your injuries and give you a real estimate of their cost. This ensures that the insurance company won’t take advantage of you.
A lawyer can also make sure the responsible party is held accountable. Occasionally the ridesharing company may try to wriggle out of paying, saying the driver was negligent and his or her personal policy should pay. There may be a dispute over whether the Uber driver or someone else was to blame. Or the other driver may lack insurance. A good lawyer will investigate the accident, reviewing police reports and witness accounts to build a case showing who must pay.
The third way a lawyer can help is by taking the insurance claim off your plate, relieving stress and freeing you to focus on getting better. A lawyer will handle negotiations with insurance companies and will usually be able to get you far more than the insurance company would have offered on its own. If necessary, a lawyer can also file an Atlanta car accident law suit and handle it every step of the way.
Talk to an Atlanta Uber Passenger Accident Lawyer for Free
Our law firm has only one mission: to help people who have been injured in accidents. We won’t charge you a dime unless we are able to get money for you. We’d like to give you a free, no obligation consultation to show you what we can do for you. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
