Filing a lawsuit after an Uber or Lyft accident may be an option for many crash victims. However, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft maintain large insurance policies that, in many cases, apply to rideshare drivers. You can secure the compensation you deserve by filing one or more insurance claims.
It’s never a given that insurance will be there when you need it, though. Even if insurance companies owe you money, these companies often act in bad faith and deny claimants fair compensation. Allow an Uber or Lyft accident lawyer to demand a fair settlement from insurers—or to sue for you, should you need your attorney to do so.
Why Might I File a Lawsuit Against After an Uber or Lyft Accident?
Filing a lawsuit is not always the first option for someone seeking compensation after a rideshare accident. It can be, though.
Some potential reasons why you may file a lawsuit after an Uber or Lyft accident include:
- An at-fault driver is uninsured: Uber and Lyft drivers are required to have their own auto insurance policy. Yet, it’s plausible that you might be involved in a rideshare collision in which the at-fault driver is uninsured. We know that uninsured motorists are a serious threat throughout the U.S. Clerical errors, broken systems for monitoring rideshare drivers, and deceit by drivers can lead to someone driving a rideshare vehicle while uninsured.
- Insurance does not fully cover your collision: Even if you are entitled to coverage through insurance, coverage limits may be an issue. If the monetary value of your accident-related damages exceeds coverage limits, filing a lawsuit can be a more likely path for you.
- Insurance companies choose not to negotiate in good faith: Bad faith insurance tactics should concern anyone involved in an Uber or Lyft collision. Insurers are not always as ethical, forthcoming, or financially accountable as they should be. If your rideshare accident lawyer determines that insurance companies are engaging in unethical tactics, filing a lawsuit may be the appropriate response.
- You and your attorney determine that filing a lawsuit is the right move for another reason: There are more possible reasons to file a lawsuit after a traffic accident. Your lawyer will bring the possibility of filing suit to your attention if they believe it’s a good option for you. Even if your lawyer does not bring it up, feel free to ask them about the potential of suing liable parties.
Every rideshare accident survivor has to do what’s best for them. Your attorney will help identify the best strategy for your case, whether filing an insurance claim, lawsuit or taking both actions.
Why an Insurance Claim Can Be Your Path to a Fair Financial Recovery
Auto insurance exists for a reason: to compensate accident victims (like yourself) when they suffer injury, property damage, or other harm.
Some reasons why your rideshare accident attorney may pursue compensation through insurance are:
- Insurance may provide enough coverage for your accident-related losses: If insurance policies provide the amount of coverage you need, that generally indicates that filing a claim (or multiple claims) is a worthwhile strategy.
- Insurance claims are often the most efficient route to justice for rideshare accident victims: Filing lawsuits and taking rideshare accident cases to court are time-consuming steps. Generally speaking, the quickest way to secure compensation for those affected by rideshare collisions is to negotiate a settlement with one or more insurance companies.
- If insurance companies owe you compensation, they should pay it: There are basic principles that govern car accident cases. If an insurance company issued a contract (a policy) that says it will pay for accident victims’ losses, it should honor that contract. It’s just the right thing to do—and when an insurance company honors its contract, accident victims receive the compensation they need and deserve.
- Lawsuits and trials can be complex (but, in many cases, worth the cost): Insurance claims can be complicated, but lawsuits and trials can be even more challenging, time-consuming, and resource-intensive. This is why insurance claims are typically the primary course of action for rideshare accident victims. That being said, filing a lawsuit and even going to trial can prove to be the proper strategy in your case.
You can see that there are many variables to weigh in the aftermath of your Uber or Lyft accident. A rideshare accident attorney will help you think through these considerations. With the lawyer’s help, you will ultimately arrive at the best strategy for you and your case.
Whatever Your Case Strategy Proves to Be, Hiring a Lawyer Is a Sound Decision
Time will tell what strategy (or strategies) you employ in your case. One thing is certain: You should allow an attorney to craft and execute the strategy for you.
There is an extensive list of reasons to hire a lawyer as soon as possible after your Uber or Lyft accident, with some of the most noteworthy are:
The Fact That Everyone Deserves to Recover After an Accident
No matter how vehicles collide or how “severe” someone considers a crash, every accident victim needs to recover. Depending on the victim, recovery might require:
- A lengthy period of hospitalization
- Long, consistent periods of rest
- Multiple doctors appointments
- Rehabilitation services
- Abstinence from physical activity
- Abstinence from stress and strenuous cognitive activity
The effects of a rideshare accident do not just affect the survivor physically. Symptoms are also, in many cases, psychological and emotional. Allow an injury lawyer to take on your case so you can put your health above all else.
Your Attorneys’ Unique Experience Helping Rideshare Accident Victims
It’s difficult to put your finger on “experience,” as it’s not something you can touch or directly examine. However, there’s no doubt about the immense value of a rideshare accident attorney’s experience representing clients like you.
Experienced lawyers are confident. They understand various legal strategies, tactics, and techniques on a highly technical level. An experienced lawyer can ease your mind and nerves, as you know they’ve been here before—and prevailed even when cases proved extremely challenging.
The Additional Resources a Lawyer Offers
A rideshare accident lawyer is the primary resource you seek. However, law firms provide their clients with far more than a lawyer, as you may also:
- Have one or more additional attorneys working on your case (each firm has its own style for assigning attorneys)
- Have paralegals working on aspects of your case, as these capable legal professionals play key roles in lawyers’ casework
- Meet various support staff who assist in client service and other aspects of a rideshare accident case
- Gain the benefit of a law firm hiring experts to assist in your case
Your law firm may provide legal professionals and financial resources that directly contribute to a high-caliber case.
Law Firms’ Low-Risk, Client-Friendly Fee Agreements
If you’re unfamiliar with it, you should know what a contingency fee is. This is the sort of fee you’re likely to use when hiring an Uber or Lyft collision attorney.
When a law firm uses a contingency fee, it:
- Pays the entire cost of completing the client’s case
- Does not request any upfront or out-of-pocket compensation from the client
- Is entitled to a percentage of the client’s settlement or verdict (or arranges to have liable parties cover their costs as a separate agreement)
As the client, this sort of fee means you don’t have to worry about additional financial burdens. Your lawyer will either win compensation for you, or you will not have to pay for their services. The pressure, quite clearly, is on the firm to get the financial result you deserve—rather than on you.
Uber and Lyft Accident Cases Can Pose Unique Challenges
There are many cases in which hiring an attorney will be a smart idea. Rideshare accident lawyers are particularly ripe for a lawyer’s help. These cases can pose a few unique challenges that may include:
- Several parties involved in the case: Rideshare collisions can involve several parties, including the rideshare driver, another motor vehicle driver, rideshare passengers, insurance companies, a rideshare company, and various others. Allow your lawyer to determine who is at fault for the crash, who is liable for your damages, and whether anyone else needs to be involved in your case.
- An unusual slate of insurance options: Insurance is a particularly complicated aspect of rideshare accident cases. Your attorney will need to determine whether Uber or Lyft’s insurance provider is liable for your losses. They may instead determine that seeking compensation through a driver’s personal policy is the right strategy. There can be conditions for Uber and Lyft’s insurance coverage—like whether the rideshare driver was actively involved in pickup or drop-off—that complicate the insurance question.
- A powerful rideshare company fighting your case: Time will tell whether you need to file a lawsuit against Uber or Lyft. If you do, you may be pursuing compensation from a company with seemingly bottomless resources at its disposal. Having a lawyer will afford you resources of your own for any necessary legal fight.
Significant challenges exist in any type of personal injury case. One such challenge is insurance companies’ bad-faith tactics.
Bad Faith: A Term Every Rideshare Accident Victim Should Know
We briefly discussed the idea of bad-faith insurance, but it warrants further examination. In fact, insurance companies’ tendency to act in bad faith may be one of the leading reasons you choose to hire a lawyer.
Insurers can use several tactics as they attempt to avoid paying the cost of an accident. Such tactics can include:
- Alleging that you caused the rideshare accident
- Claiming a policy lapsed prior to the accident
- Denying your claim without legitimate justification
- Tempting you with a lowball settlement offer (possibly claiming that the offer is fair or that it’s the best offer the insurance company will extend)
- Intentionally stalling, which can be an attempt to pressure you into accepting a lowball offer
These tactics work far more often than they should. Attorneys are well acquainted with insurers’ bad-faith strategies. Your lawyer will know how to protect you, ease your mind, and parry these unethical attacks on your claim.
A Primer on How an Attorney Can Help After Your Accident
While you’ve already heard about some of the ways an attorney will help, their case strategy is worth examining. Some of the primary responsibilities your Uber or Lyft crash attorney will handle are:
Gathering, Analyzing, and Incorporating Evidence Into Your Case
Each piece of evidence is a fragment. Together, these fragments create a clear picture. It’s your attorney’s job to find and lock the puzzle pieces together, ultimately proving who is at fault for your rideshare collision.
A broad spectrum of evidence may benefit your case, from an eyewitness account of a motor vehicle hitting the vehicle you were in to crystal clear video of a crash.
Documenting Every Instance of Harm, You’ve Suffered
Your attorney will also piece together documentation to prove how the at-fault party has harmed you. Documentation of damages may include:
- All medical records related to your injuries
- Medical bills
- Your income statements (which may show a substantial decline in earnings)
- Receipts for vehicle repairs
Experts may also testify about your injuries, pain and suffering, and financial losses.
Pursuing an Insurance Settlement
Your attorney will inform you of their strategy, which may begin with negotiating an insurance settlement.
If insurance companies do not accommodate your lawyer’s settlement demands, don’t be surprised if your attorney brings up the option of filing a lawsuit.
Damages from Truck Accidents Can Be Unusually Severe—and Expensive
A lawyer is best qualified to investigate and detail your damages, which can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Vehicle repair (or replacement) costs
- Lost income
These are just common damages. You deserve a personalized evaluation of losses from an experienced attorney.
A Rideshare Accident Attorney is Standing By
Do not wait to find and hire a qualified Uber or Lyft accident lawyer to fight for the financial recovery you deserve. They have the knowledge and experience to assess your case, determine liability, and fight for the compensation you deserve.